December 4, 2019
A guide to establishing your leadership presence
Express your own commitment as a leader in a more effective way. For further insights, read “10 principles for leadership.”
More Strategy
Archives by year:
December 4, 201910 principles for leadership presence
Build muscle memory to support conviction, commitment, and resilience for yourself and your organization.
December 2, 2019The remedy for high turnover
In service industries, where employees frequently quit, upskilling frontline managers and redesigning the hiring and onboarding processes can help ease the pain.
November 26, 2019Thawing the frozen middle
As businesses put trillions of dollars into digital transformations, they need a plan to ensure that middle management is helping make the most of the investment.
s+b BlogsNovember 21, 2019Why your CEO’s personal risk taking matters
Boards are paying more attention to risky business outside the office.
November 20, 2019Making automation easy
Daniel Dines runs UiPath — the only unicorn to emerge from Romania and one of the world's fastest-growing software companies — which helps businesses design the way they automate processes.
November 19, 2019Does your legal department spark joy?
How a contract management system can extract untapped value from your legal processes.
November 18, 2019The digital approach to organizational effectiveness
How leaders can use digital twin technology to optimize their company’s health. For more insights, see www.pwc.com/digitaltwin.
s+b BlogsNovember 14, 2019Taking a closer look at female board appointments
Firms facing pressure to add women to the board tend to increase the number of seats, not replace incumbent men — which dilutes the female directors’ power.
s+b BlogsNovember 12, 2019Strategy talk: Does shareholder value still have a place in strategy?
Some recent announcements have cast a shadow on the concept, but it’s still a great tool for optimizing a company’s strategy, performance, and potential.
November 11, 2019Niche work if you can get it
Understanding how specialist companies succeed can help all leaders learn ways to stick to their strategies.
s+b BlogsNovember 7, 2019A new business model for digitally adept companies
Management writer Ram Charan explains the benefits of managing by cash earnings per share.
November 5, 2019Top shelf picks: Best Business Books 2019
Writers at strategy+business pick the year’s best books in seven categories.
October 31, 2019How powerful people slip
Neuroscience reveals the counterproductive side effects of authority. Attention to inclusion measures can help you avoid the pitfalls.
October 22, 2019Navigating your enterprise into the future
Using a compass as your guide, you can create innovative, nimble partnerships that move your company forward.
October 21, 2019India’s new unicorns
The world’s largest democracy is becoming a seedbed for billion-dollar startups.
s+b BlogsOctober 18, 2019Past performance is no guarantee of future results
Lessons from the past may be the only available guide for navigating the present and future, but CEOs need to take them with a grain of salt.
October 15, 2019How to think like a CEO
Top leaders share a particular habit of mind that sets them apart.
October 14, 2019How operators can make 5G pay
Communications service providers will only gain a return on their infrastructure investments by adopting innovative business models.
October 8, 2019How businesses can deliver on trust in the digital age
The first step to rebuilding trust is to be aware that change and complexity are constant and that everyone — customers, regulators, employees, and the general public — are potential stakeholders.
October 8, 2019Strengthening the foundations of trust in the digital age
The speed of technological change requires new thinking about how institutions and businesses deliver on trust.
October 7, 2019Growth strategies for an uncertain world
Internationalization can help businesses rethink their global footprint and governments attract trade and enterprise.
s+b BlogsOctober 2, 2019How leaders can bridge the empathy gap in a crisis
Executives tend to err on the side of caution, rather than compassion, when disaster strikes. Here are four ways they can do better.
s+b BlogsSeptember 30, 2019The evolution of problem solving
The professionals who aim to tackle modern organizational challenges have to learn to deliver holistic solutions that drive value realization.
s+b BlogsSeptember 26, 2019Turn your passion into an innovative business
One golf enthusiast’s story shows how curiosity and innovative thinking can uncover demand for something unique.
September 17, 2019How to stand out in a crowded marketplace
To differentiate your brand, let a customer focus guide your strategy and operations.
September 9, 2019Be prepared, not scared, when investing in U.S. companies
Cross-border deals face increased scrutiny, but understanding where regulators are coming from can help prevent trouble.
s+b BlogsSeptember 3, 2019Strategy talk: What’s the link between strategy and “doing good”?
How to find the best way for your business to have a positive social impact.
August 29, 2019Transforming TV by going back to the future
For virtually its entire existence, the vast global television industry has survived and thrived amid a series of transformations. Here’s how it can surf the next wave.
s+b BlogsAugust 23, 2019Electronic word-of-mouth can make or break a product launch
It’s the sentiment, not the volume, of posts that matters.
August 13, 2019Why your customers should be central to your innovation efforts
Ditching the “science fair” mentality toward innovation will help transform ideas into commercial reality.
August 12, 2019More than a feeling: How do you measure culture?
Simple metrics that demonstrate momentum are key to turning good intentions into replicable business results.
August 7, 2019Leading with a mission mind-set
How Beth Mooney, CEO of KeyCorp and chair of the Cleveland Clinic, earns trust in banking and healthcare.
August 6, 2019Survival skills for the digital age
Three principles can guide you when the connectivity of the digital era becomes overwhelming.
s+b BlogsAugust 5, 2019To strengthen innovation, make sure every voice is heard
Companies should be as process-driven about disruptive ideas as they are about other aspects of business.
s+b BlogsAugust 2, 2019How to manage mavericks
The best soccer coaches are able to produce elite performances from hard-to-manage players. Businesses should take note.
August 1, 2019China’s herd of unicorns
About 200 Chinese startups have valuations of $1 billion or more, and many are preparing to go global.
July 24, 2019Nigeria’s untapped banking potential
How Peter Amangbo, outgoing group managing director and CEO of Zenith Bank, positioned it to win the 30 percent of Nigerians who don’t have bank accounts.
July 23, 2019The dawn of the Chinese blockbuster
Filmmakers with local heroes and digital technologies are disrupting Hollywood’s global advantage.
July 19, 2019Tapping the opportunities of U.S. liquefied natural gas
The success of players in an industry that is revolutionizing energy markets depends on getting the strategy right.
July 9, 2019Growing the family asset management company
With a focus on transparency, Halstatt has been transformed by a matriarchal line of CEOs.
s+b BlogsJune 27, 2019Millennials are risk-aware, not risk-averse
Believing the popular perceptions about millennials could be risky business.
June 24, 2019How to build disruptive strategic flywheels
Gaming, artificial intelligence, and deep learning are paving the way for dynamic and resilient 21st-century business models.
June 20, 2019Seven steps for highly effective deal making
Focusing on value creation from the start of an M&A transaction ultimately delivers the best performance.
s+b BlogsJune 18, 2019Strategy talk: How strategy differs for nonprofits
Organizations that don’t have a profit imperative still need to answer three critical questions.
June 12, 2019Ensuring trust in an age of digital banking
Johan Torgeby, CEO of Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (SEB), one of the biggest Nordic banks, explains how trust and technology must form the foundations of banking in the digital world.
June 10, 2019How productivity tracking can empower employees
It’s important to know what your workforce is actually doing, yet many employees balk at being monitored. But if monitoring is done right, employees benefit.
s+b BlogsJune 7, 2019Why cryptocurrency’s not quite ready for takeoff
There’s an innovative sweet spot known as the “adjacent possible” that new technologies need to hit before they can soar.
s+b BlogsJune 6, 2019How fake news can taint a brand’s image
When a company’s ads run next to fabricated articles, its reputation suffers.
June 5, 2019A crisis of legitimacy
Today’s toughest global challenges are unintended consequences of yesterday’s success. If our prevailing institutions can’t adapt, they could lose the right to lead.
June 5, 2019Winning with a data-driven strategy
Making decisions based on hard evidence requires a major shift in culture, technology, and mind-set.
May 29, 2019Organizational effectiveness goes digital
New technologies offer leaders an agile way to assess their company’s health and embark on improvement. See also “The digital approach to organizational effectiveness.”
May 23, 2019Create a workplace where everyone feels comfortable speaking up
It’s important for employees to express concern when they see something disturbing. Here’s how to make everyone understand that their voice is valued.
s+b BlogsMay 22, 2019The new company towns
Cash handouts and high-speed Internet are attracting people to unlikely places now that remote working is on the rise.
s+b BlogsMay 7, 2019How virtual reality is improving decisions in soccer and in business
A 3D simulation is changing the behaviors of the world’s best soccer players — and the business world is catching on.
s+b BlogsMay 3, 2019The global village needs walls
Facebook’s evolving mission statement is evidence that people are craving smaller communities and niche experiences.
s+b BlogsMay 2, 2019The hidden perils of temp turnover
In the gig economy, more companies are employing temporary workers for greater flexibility. But that strategy comes at a cost.
May 1, 2019Make the most of tax time
Taxes are often viewed as simply a compliance issue. But what if organizations thought of taxes as a way to benefit their businesses now, and help them plan for a better future? Here, a collection of articles delves into different corners of the tax world to explain how it’s done.
April 30, 2019Facing up to the automotive innovation dilemma
The rise of connected, autonomous, shared, and electric vehicles will reshape the industry. The challenge in the meantime is survival.
April 22, 2019The confidence premium
In PwC’s annual global survey of chief executives, CEOs’ optimism about their own company’s prospects is a leading indicator of broader economic prosperity. How, then, can we best foster confident CEOs?
s+b BlogsApril 18, 2019In praise of the purposeless company
No purpose? No problem. Create customers, care for employees, be a good citizen, and make money instead.
April 3, 2019Chinese cars go global
An Conghui, president of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group and CEO of Geely Auto Group, explains the future of flying cars and the value of an international brand.
April 1, 2019Why big-wave surfers are just like actuaries
In her new book, Allison Schrager argues that we can learn a lot about risk management, moral hazard, and financial safety from the dudes who tackle 80-foot waves on fiberglass boards.
March 28, 2019Leadership lessons from Game of Thrones
Paying attention to your values and persuasion style can help you avoid getting beheaded or stabbed to death.
s+b BlogsMarch 26, 2019Have we reached “peak” chief digital officer?
Companies are recognizing that digital transformation needs to be part of their core strategy and are creating fewer CDO positions than they were two years ago.
s+b BlogsMarch 21, 2019Strategy talk: How long should a long-term strategy be?
The right time frame for a strategy depends on what its implementation will require.
March 20, 2019Asian opportunities
Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, who leads one of the Philippines’ biggest conglomerates, explains how Southeast Asian companies are taking advantage of the changes in East–West dynamics.
March 13, 2019Masters of the middle-market universe
The midsized companies in the U.S. that grow the fastest understand their strong suits and play their hands accordingly.
March 12, 2019Japan’s female future
Demographic realities and the growing number of women in higher education are changing the male-dominated management structures of Japan Inc.
March 6, 2019The sum is greater than the auto parts
Linamar is evolving from an automotive supplier into fields such as agricultural equipment and infrastructure. As CEO Linda Hasenfratz tells us, it’s all part of the 100-year plan.
February 27, 2019How to pick technology winners
Some of today’s innovations will become as prevalent as smartphones. Others, such as jet packs, won’t take off. Three factors can help you tell which are likely to succeed.
February 27, 2019The Future Value of Your Data
The monetary value of information about a single person’s online and offline activity may reach $10 a month by 2025 in the U.S. For further insights, read “Tomorrow’s Data Heroes.”
February 26, 2019Power strategies
The largest utilities around the globe are placing their bets on winning strategies and capabilities.
February 25, 2019You can’t benchmark culture
Your company’s ideal behavioral strengths are unique, and shouldn’t be borrowed or copied — not even from a high-performance enterprise.
February 20, 2019The World’s Second-Oldest Airline Prepares for a Digital Takeoff
CEO Hernán Rincón explains his goal to transform Avianca into a digital company that flies airplanes.
February 19, 2019Tomorrow’s data heroes
Telecom companies are struggling to find a profitable identity in today’s digital sphere. What about helping customers control their information?
s+b BlogsFebruary 13, 2019Middle Managers Deserve More Respect
Most employees follow their lead — maybe more CEOs should too.
s+b BlogsFebruary 7, 2019Four tips from top soccer clubs on how to build cohesive teams
The keys to improving clubhouse comity also apply to the office.
s+b BlogsFebruary 6, 2019Strategy Talk: How to Help Your Team Get More Creative
Leaders should draw on the past to spark ideas that are both novel and practical.
February 6, 2019Inside Symantec’s tech transformation
Symantec chief information officer Sheila Jordan has spent four years leading IT during one of Silicon Valley’s most noteworthy corporate change efforts.
s+b BlogsJanuary 30, 2019ROX is the new ROI: Prioritizing customer experience
Consumers have more power over your company’s success or failure than ever before, and it’s time for a new metric that captures the return on your investment in them.
January 23, 2019Making Critical Decisions with Confidence
Nancy McKinstry, CEO and chairman of Wolters Kluwer, explains how going digital is allowing a 183-year-old provider of specialist information and expert solutions to prosper in a data-driven world.
January 23, 2019Overcoming digital distraction
Six steps to help you limit connectivity and improve your focus and productivity.
January 16, 2019Financial services and social values can mix
For Antonio Huertas Mejías, chief executive officer of the MAPFRE insurance company, economic growth aligns with making a sustainable contribution to the wider community.
January 15, 2019Memo to the CEO: Is Your Chief Strategy Officer Set Up for Success?
Empowering the CSO and restoring strategy to the front line is imperative in a challenging environment. See also “How to Refocus the role of the Chief Strategy Officer into a Competitive Advantage.”
January 15, 2019How to Refocus the Role of the Chief Strategy Officer into a Competitive Advantage
Four ways to help your CSO create value. For more insight, see the 2018 Chief Strategy Officer Benchmarking Study from Strategy&, PwC’s strategy consulting business.
January 9, 2019Business Cycle
Peloton’s bikes may be stationary. But as CEO John Foley tells us, the company is on the move.
s+b BlogsJanuary 4, 2019Scoring under Pressure
Strategies for taking penalty kicks in soccer can provide helpful lessons for high-pressure business situations, too.
December 21, 2018Why You Need to Pay More Attention to Indirect Taxes in 2019
Three key trends that are shaping value-added and sales taxes. For more insight, read “It Pays to Keep Tabs on Indirect Taxes.”
s+b BlogsDecember 21, 2018The Jolly and Folly of Holiday Decor for Retailers
Christmas displays make shoppers more forgiving of employee mistakes but more judgmental of unfairness.
December 19, 2018Transforming a Traditional Bank into an Agile Market Leader
In 2014, Piyush Gupta, CEO of DBS Bank of Singapore, asked his staff to think like the employees of a fintech startup and build the digital capabilities they would need to succeed.
December 18, 2018What You Read: The 15 Most Popular s+b Articles of 2018
The revenge of print, why our brains fool us, and more of the most read stories this year.
December 17, 2018It Pays to Keep Tabs on Indirect Taxes
Businesses need to understand three key trends that are shaping value-added and sales taxes, and take three steps to keep pace with change. See also “Why You Need to Pay More Attention to Indirect Taxes in 2019.”
December 12, 2018Managing Africa’s money
Despite the continent's governance challenges, Standard Bank CEO Sim Tshabalala says Africa is open for business and ready to take advantage of rapid digitization.
s+b BlogsDecember 10, 2018Five Standards for Responsible AI Use
Business leaders must implement artificial intelligence in a principled way to optimize customer experience and earn people’s trust.
December 10, 2018How Tech Market Makers Build Value
The key ingredients to success are smart deals, purposeful research and development, and a distinctive culture that is friendly to innovation.
December 5, 2018Understanding the Potential of Artificial Intelligence
Daniel Hulme, CEO of the AI solutions startup Satalia, offers other chief executives a primer on the technology that will shape the future of work and business.
December 3, 2018Why your next deal may be a partnership
A new study shows that alliances and joint ventures are on the rise worldwide.
November 29, 2018Closing the Awareness Gap in Technology Projects
Even the best digital fixes sometimes fail, but focusing on nontechnical factors can ensure your investment pays off.
November 28, 2018Leaders Should Focus on Human Dignity at Work
Conflict resolution expert Donna Hicks explores the poorly understood and underutilized power of dignity.
s+b BlogsNovember 16, 2018Why gendered risk management is a risky business
Research shows that men and women have similar tolerances for taking chances.
November 13, 2018Redefiners are doing digital right
Companies that have the digital aspiration of fundamentally changing their operating model can face disruption head-on.
November 5, 2018Best Business Books 2018: Strategy
Making the Leap. See also Top Shelf Picks: Best Business Books 2018.
November 5, 2018Top Shelf Picks: Best Business Books 2018
Writers at strategy+business pick the year’s best books in seven categories.
s+b BlogsNovember 2, 2018The Four Things Startups Need Their Lawyers to Know
Make sure the attorneys you bring on board will be able to meet your company’s unique needs.
October 30, 2018What the top innovators get right
With careful attention to six key areas, companies can make the most of their R&D investment and outpace the competition.
October 30, 2018Who Are the Top Innovators?
Explore the companies that made the 2007, 2012, and 2017 high-leverage innovator lists with our interactive tool. For further insight, see What the Top Innovators Get Right.
October 26, 2018A Guide for Designing a Successful Corporate Transformation
Four building blocks that are essential to every major change effort. For more insights, visit pwc.com/transformation.
s+b BlogsOctober 26, 2018Why It Doesn’t Always Pay to Be Decisive about Making Decisions
Waiting to make a choice can lead to more effective outcomes.
October 22, 2018The four building blocks of transformation
How to lead the disruption of your own enterprise. See also “A Guide for Designing a Successful Corporate Transformation.”
October 17, 2018The power of price points
Customer segmentation is not just a revenue tool, but also a way to achieve excellence in execution.
October 15, 2018How Financial Institutions Can Put Risk Management Back in the Driver’s Seat
Three steps to creating a better operating model.
October 11, 2018Why Is It So Hard to Trust a Blockchain?
A new PwC survey identifies the barriers to blockchain adoption, and how companies can overcome them.
October 10, 2018Leading a Company That Wants to Change Lives through Sports
Adidas CEO Kasper Rørsted explains how to align business strategy and execution during a shift in global consumer demand.
October 9, 2018Planning for the Unexpected
Typical crisis planning focuses on specific potential shocks. But how do you prepare for an unforeseen “asymmetric” threat — one that comes out of nowhere, with no rule book to follow?
s+b BlogsOctober 2, 2018Strategy Talk: What’s the Right Mix of Organic Growth and Acquisitions?
Three questions will help you find the best combination of buy, borrow, and build for your business.
September 26, 2018Start Small and Think Globally
Brazilian media and private equity leader Eduardo Sirotsky Melzer has a message for high-tech, middle-market companies in emerging economies: This could be their moment.
September 24, 2018Getting Beyond Greenwashing
IESE professor Pascual Berrone on why companies need to rethink their approach to sustainability.
s+b BlogsSeptember 21, 2018Special Isn’t What You Think
What are the four hallmarks of a company that truly stands apart from the rest?
September 18, 2018Are You Increasing Your Learning Agility — Or Are You Missing Out?
To be a more agile leader, nurture the habits that accelerate your learning capacity and be aware of the ones that block new experiences. For more insight, see “Leaders: Break Through Your Learning Blockers.”
s+b BlogsSeptember 18, 2018Leaders: Break Through Your Learning Blockers
Spot and resist the bad habits that hinder your innovation potential.Take our quiz to find out if you are seeking opportunities to grow: “Are You Increasing Your Learning Agility — Or Are You Missing Out?”
s+b BlogsSeptember 13, 2018Making Change Contagious
Nuanced findings in network science suggest that the conventional wisdom about diffusing new ideas may hinder, not help, their spread.
September 12, 2018Five Smart Behaviors That Helped France Win the 2018 World Cup Can Help Businesses, Too
Lessons from this year's champions on how to find, motivate, and make the most of your talent pool.
September 5, 2018Your Company’s Purpose Isn’t to Save the World
Many companies confuse purpose programs with corporate responsibility. Here’s how to craft an authentic and effective purpose statement.
September 4, 2018How to Build a Stronger Economy
Jim Clifton, chief executive of Gallup Inc., has a robust theory about entrepreneurialism and economic recovery.
s+b BlogsAugust 30, 2018Making Change Is Not a Matter of Willpower
Research emphasizes the need to uncover old habits that are blocking transformation.
August 27, 2018Using Neuroscience to Make Feedback Work and Feel Better
Research shows that using feedback is how organisms — and organizations — stay alive. Here’s how leaders can make the most of the anxiety-producing process.
August 22, 2018Forget B2C and B2B — We Need B2I
In the fast-approaching world where tailored products and customer experience are a competitive advantage, the old categories of business will be obsolete.
August 13, 2018The M&A Activity Transforming Healthcare
How deals are shaping the $450 billion industry that manages prescriptions in the United States.
August 8, 2018When Prediction Gets Cheap
In their new book, a trio of Rotman School professors demystify artificial intelligence for business leaders.
s+b BlogsAugust 7, 2018How Transformation-Ready Leaders Learn
Take the time and effort to look for new ways of doing things, and turn away from old habits that block that process. Take our quiz, “Are You Increasing Your Learning Agility — Or Are You Missing Out?”, to find out if you are seeking opportunities to grow.
June 27, 2018If Cash Is King, Why Doesn’t It Rule?
With tax rules changing and interest rates set to rise globally, companies need to organize their operations around a new value equation.
June 18, 2018The Insurance Industry Needs an Intervention
To compete amid myriad disruptions, insurers in all sectors must wed strategy to structural changes.
May 24, 2018Art Is Good for Business
Supporting the arts can help companies address many modern concerns.
May 16, 2018Tech deals bring new challenges to M&A
For established firms, acquiring a digital startup comes with promise and pitfalls.
May 14, 2018Why Tax Reform Changes Nothing — and Everything
With so much cash on company balance sheets, U.S. companies face competitive pressure to use the tax windfall strategically.
May 9, 2018Quantum Underwriting: A Core Capability for Bionic Companies
When you know the probabilities of future events, including your own processes, you can hedge their risks in more strategic ways.
May 7, 2018The Revenue Stream Revolution in Entertainment and Media
Developing new sources of income is a vital strategic imperative.
April 18, 2018Growing through M&A in Financial Services
Pursuit of innovation is crucial in the competitive global market.
April 5, 2018How to Prevent a Faltering CEO from Damaging Your Company
Is your board missing early warning signals that the chief executive is slipping?
s+b BlogsMarch 15, 2018Strategy talk: Can strategy be decisive and flexible?
Clear choices can provide stability for your organization while also enhancing your strategic options and ability to adapt.
March 6, 2018There’s More to Earnings than Earnings per Share
Capital expenditures are an overlooked lever for helping companies boost cash flows — and ultimately shareholder returns.
February 21, 2018Overcoming Challenges during a Major Transformation
Michael Pennisi, the chief executive of QSuper, one of Australia’s largest pension funds, describes how to change direction at scale.
February 19, 2018The Tax-Savvy Company Restructuring
Most structural changes will have tax implications. Thoughtful planning can help leaders convert tax traps into enhanced reorganization returns.
s+b BlogsJanuary 2, 2018Strategy Talk: Can the Latest Organizational Innovations Really Help Us?
Evaluate new management approaches, such as holacracy and agile, based on how they can improve clarity and collaboration at your company.
December 18, 2017What You Read: The 15 Most Popular s+b Articles of 2017
Among all the articles we’ve published over the last year, here are the ones that drew the most attention.
November 7, 2017Best Business Books 2017
In the 17th edition of our Best Business Books section, our crack team of reviewers has ferreted out the most inspiring, illuminating, and entertaining volumes of the past year. See also Best Business Books 2017 — in Pictures.
s+b BlogsNovember 2, 2017Why Your Company’s Disaster Recovery Plan Needs a Strategy
Without strategic guidance, corporate crisis response efforts may not be sustainable.
October 2, 2017The Real Value of Your Company
Focus on intrinsic value, not share price, to surpass investor expectations.
July 24, 2017Finance and HR: The Executive Partnership That Transformed a Company
Six years ago, two executives new to their jobs led the strategic transition that remade McGraw-Hill into S&P Global.
s+b BlogsJuly 5, 2017When You Keep Falling Short of Your Mission
The Fed can’t meet its inflation target, companies routinely miss earnings guidance, and schools fail to increase test scores. So what’s an institution to do?
s+b BlogsJune 29, 2017Next-Level Cybersecurity: Preparing for Internet Shutdown
Companies around the world need a comprehensive plan in place to ensure that critical business can still get done in the case of a prolonged Web outage.
s+b BlogsJune 13, 201711 Types of Strategic Maturity: Which One Describes Your Company?
A quick interactive diagnostic tool shows whether your strategy is coherent, how well it stacks up against your competitors, and how you can improve it.
June 12, 2017Design for Your Strengths
Paul Leinwand, coauthor of Strategy That Works, introduces a counterintuitive lesson in how to achieve breakthrough performance in your organization from Olympic medalist John K. Coyle.
May 18, 2017Being Ready for a Crisis
An effective response starts long before the catastrophe occurs, with governance and relationships, advance preparation, and the ability to test your practices.
s+b BlogsMay 9, 2017Strategy Talk: The Real Reason Your Stock Price Is Lagging
Financial engineering won’t fix a stagnant valuation.
s+b BlogsMarch 28, 2017Who You Are Is How You Lead
Strategies to identify and embrace your nonnegotiable values and grow into your best, authentic self.
March 27, 2017The Marriage of Tax and Strategy
Make a commitment to the function that knows your company best.
s+b BlogsMarch 23, 2017Imperfect Job Market Forces Unenviable Choices
As a tightening in farm labor shows, employers must choose from a handful of undesirable options to stay in business.
s+b BlogsMarch 23, 2017How TiVo Confronted the Disruptor’s Dilemma
Upstart firms that want to break into an established sector often must collaborate with the very power brokers they seek to unseat.
s+b BlogsMarch 21, 2017Strategy Talk: What’s Wrong with Cross-Selling, Anyway?
Your strategy should turn customers into “cross-buyers” of your products and services.
s+b BlogsFebruary 16, 2017How Strategy Talk Creates Value
Investors appreciate hearing about a new CEO’s strategic vision, and they respond by bidding up the stock price.
February 13, 2017A Guide to Strategy through Execution
How to get the strategists and implementers in your company to work together effectively. For more insight, read “10 Principles of Strategy through Execution.”
February 13, 201710 Principles of Strategy through Execution
How to link where your company is headed with what it does best. See also “A Guide to Strategy through Execution.”
January 26, 2017Quantifying Entertainment
How the science of big data analytics can contribute to the art of producing movie and TV content.
s+b BlogsJanuary 26, 2017Sorting through Corporate Protest Tactics
Activist groups’ ideological stance, as well as a company’s own characteristics, shape the types of strategies used to effect change.
January 24, 2017Why the Right Mix of Products, Customers, and Markets Is an Overlooked Profits Lever
Companies can increase profits in a low-growth environment by focusing on the right combination of segments.
s+b BlogsJanuary 23, 2017What’s Your Digital ROI?
Companies need a clear and complete view of how their digital transformations are progressing.
January 16, 2017Banking’s Biggest Hurdle: Its Own Strategy
Why coherent institutions were the first to rebound after the financial crisis.
s+b BlogsJanuary 10, 2017How Howard Schultz’s Angel Poised Starbucks for Success
Few have resolved the tension between identity and growth as masterfully as the coffee chain’s CEO.
s+b BlogsDecember 22, 2016Strategy and the Board
Your strategic planning process and annual off-sites may be holding your directors back.
s+b BlogsDecember 22, 2016Understanding the “Ricochet Effect” of Bad News
Profit warnings not only hurt a company’s domestic rivals, but also international competitors, and can cause industry-wide investor skittishness.- s+b BlogsDecember 20, 2016
Virtual Reality’s Uncertain Picture
The growing array of immersive entertainment experiences carries unforeseen implications for content owners and creators. 
December 19, 2016When the Activist Investor Knows Best
Some of the most combative shareholders are deploying the most powerful weapon possible — sound advice.
December 14, 2016Pulling the Triggers That Pull Companies
When you give voice to confidence, aspiration, prescience, or desperation, it can set you on a more powerful path. See also “How to Define Your Corporate Identity.”
December 14, 2016How to Define Your Corporate Identity
Having a clear sense of who you are will help you grow coherently, and outpace the competition. For further insights, read “Pulling the Triggers That Pull Companies.”
s+b BlogsDecember 8, 2016Four Business Models for the Digital Age
As digital becomes the new normal, a few generic strategies that can help you determine where and how to create value. Which one is best for your enterprise?
s+b BlogsDecember 8, 2016The Myth of the Coveted Loyal Shopper
When it comes to consumer goods, infrequent purchasers, not faithful customers, seem to drive market-share growth.- s+b BlogsNovember 17, 2016
Joint-Venture Road Map for the Little(r) Guy
International partnerships can put parties at odds, but there are ways for smaller firms to avoid common conflicts and stick up for themselves. 
s+b BlogsOctober 24, 2016The Strategy Lessons of a Long Hike
A punishing trek is a painful reminder to get your strategic fundamentals right.
s+b BlogsSeptember 9, 2016Three Lessons from 9/11, 15 Years On
The attacks have changed business thinking and practice around disaster preparedness.
s+b BlogsSeptember 8, 2016Far-Flung Shareholder Meetings May Be a Red Flag
When a company chooses to hold its shareholder meeting in a distant location or at an odd time, executives might be trying to avoid revealing bad news.- s+b BlogsSeptember 6, 2016
Lessons from the Strategy Crisis at Netflix
The thriving streaming business faces some fundamental questions about its future. - s+b BlogsJuly 28, 2016
When Shareholders Speak Their Minds
A large proportion of shareholder proposals contested by firms receive support from other investors when put to a vote. 
July 25, 2016Hedge Fund, Meet Highway
New investments in infrastructure by private asset managers are changing the way the world finances its cities, power systems, and transportation links.- s+b BlogsJuly 21, 2016
Is the End Looming for Razor-and-Blades Pricing?
Companies might want to rethink the storied model of charging less up front to get more down the line — especially as e-commerce offers consumers ever greater flexibility, information, and selection. 
May 25, 2016Why Popular Strategies Always Fade
The most capable strategists see the real value, and big pitfalls, in new business concepts.- April 18, 2016
Meeting the Fintech Challenge
How incumbent banks can respond to the startups and other firms disrupting their industry. 
s+b BlogsMarch 14, 2016Has Your Strategy’s Shelf Life Expired?
What to do when you outgrow your target market — or vice versa.- s+b BlogsFebruary 17, 2016
The Stock Market Is Not the Economy
It can be dangerous to confuse the prospects of the economy — and your company — with the day-to-day judgments rendered on them by flighty investors. 
s+b BlogsFebruary 8, 2016Why Distinctive Customer Targeting Is a Smart Strategy
Don’t underestimate the power of choosing a unique definition of the customers your company will serve.
February 3, 2016Creating a strategy that works
The most farsighted enterprises have mastered five unconventional practices for building and using distinctive capabilities.
s+b BlogsJanuary 14, 2016Click Bait
Companies can maximize their investments in Web analytics if they focus tightly on priorities, layer human intelligence on top of smart technology, and enlist senior management to lead the charge.
December 23, 2015What You Read: The 10 Most Popular s+b Articles of 2015
Among all the articles we’ve published over the last year, here are the ones that drew the most attention.
s+b BlogsDecember 21, 2015Save Your Strategy from the Global–Local Divide
How companies with multiple businesses operating in far-flung markets can avoid common strategy-implementation pitfalls.
December 16, 2015Secrets of the Activist Manager
Outside investors have their megaphones. But insiders have a more powerful tool for creating value: deep knowledge of their business and customers.- s+b BlogsDecember 3, 2015
For Startups, Ideas Matter
Predicting a startup’s success before the venture is even launched may seem impossible. But entrepreneurs and investors should never overlook the value of assessing the basic concept behind the business. - s+b BlogsNovember 25, 2015
A Good Barrel for Bad Apples in Business
In their new book, Nobel Prize–winning economists George Akerlof and Robert Shiller argue that free markets can allow unethical business practices to thrive. 
s+b BlogsNovember 23, 2015Why China’s Stock Market Crisis Spread
Excess liquidity in the global financial markets turned a predictable plummet into a worldwide crash.
November 18, 2015The Margin of Safety
In his new book, Wall Street Journal veteran Greg Ip makes the counterintuitive argument that the preventive efforts that makes us safe can encourage dangerous risk taking.
s+b BlogsNovember 9, 2015One Company, Two Identities, One Strategy
Large enterprises that operate both as a single entity and a business portfolio get the best of both worlds.
November 4, 2015The Fed’s Original Intent
In his new book, Roger Lowenstein describes how financial crises and political tensions spurred the creation of the U.S.’s central bank.
November 2, 2015Best Business Books 2015 — In Pictures
This photo gallery is part of the article “Best Business Books 2015.”
November 2, 2015Best Business Books 2015: s+b’s Top Shelf
Our annual review of the year’s best business books.
November 2, 2015Best Business Books 2015
Our annual review of the year’s best business books. See also Best Business Books 2015 — in Pictures.- s+b BlogsOctober 29, 2015
Merging across Borders
Given the growing number of international mergers, managers must overcome cultural differences with foreign colleagues to avoid the type of friction that can devalue a deal. 
October 19, 2015Be Your Own Activist Investor
With these 10 principles for rethinking cost management, you can maximize value and avoid threats from Wall Street.
October 15, 2015Bonding with Infrastructure
Management guru Rosabeth Moss Kanter urges the private sector to invest in the U.S. transportation system.- s+b BlogsOctober 2, 2015
A blueprint for forays into emerging markets
Analysts often discourage risky expansions into developing markets, but three distinct strategies have been associated with success. 
September 23, 2015How to Avoid “Carve-Out” Surprises
Careful planning for an independent future can maximize value when companies liberate assets.
s+b BlogsSeptember 21, 2015The Reclamation of Strategy
Marketers can use big data to improve their strategic efforts.
s+b BlogsSeptember 17, 2015Navigating the Crowdfunding Landscape
Online peer-based fundraising tools have the potential to disrupt traditional investing models, but entrepreneurs and investors must overcome existing cultural and government barriers.
August 18, 2015Grow from Your Strengths
The only sustainable way to capture new opportunities is to remain true to what your company does best.
s+b BlogsAugust 13, 2015What Makes a Company More Likely to Protect LGBT Rights?
Attracting new employees and doing right by its current workforce aren’t the only factors that lead a company to adopt LGBT-friendly HR policies.
August 10, 2015The New Geography of M&A
Before industrial companies sell assets, they must understand the motivations of the full array of potential buyers, especially those emerging in the East.
s+b BlogsAugust 6, 2015Frenemies with Benefits
When their profit goals differ, fiercely competitive firms may decide to collaborate with each other on complementary offerings.
August 6, 2015Mobile Payments: The Delay of Instant Gratification
Platforms like Apple Pay and Google Wallet will need to ensure a seamless and secure experience for merchants and consumers.
August 4, 2015The Capable Deal Maker
How private equity firms can unlock the M&A capabilities premium to win in a cutthroat market.
July 14, 2015Deals That Win
Twelve years of data shows that mergers and acquisitions that apply or enhance capabilities produce superior returns.
s+b BlogsJuly 9, 2015How Corporations Can Slim Down with a Bottom-Up Approach
The streamlining of corporate operations is usually executive-led, but engaging frontline employees is crucial to genuine reform.
June 30, 2015Currency Events
Since its introduction in 2008, bitcoin has enjoyed a rapid and tumultuous rise. Is the digital currency built to last?
s+b BlogsJune 15, 2015The Trouble with Putting Goals Ahead of Strategy
Winning strategies start with a big idea.
s+b BlogsJune 11, 2015Decentralization of the Corporate Structure Is Key for Workers with Disabilities
Firms can best accommodate employees with disabilities by delegating authority to their immediate supervisors and providing clear instructions in the HR manual on how to handle workers’ individual needs.
s+b BlogsJune 9, 2015Why Higher Minimum Wages Might Be the New Normal
As companies such as Walmart, Aetna, and Facebook start paying their workers more, others sense a change in the air.- s+b BlogsJune 8, 2015
The Data-Driven Optimist
Economist Max Roser is compiling an archive of global improvement. - s+b BlogsMay 21, 2015
International Investors Can Be a Hidden Advantage
Courting investors with expertise in foreign markets can provide companies with a crucial, but often overlooked, advantage in pulling off international M&A deals. 
s+b BlogsMay 14, 2015The Double-Edged Sword of Success
If firms become mired in the successful practices that got them to where they are, they may stop looking for new ways to exploit resources and opportunities.
s+b BlogsMay 6, 2015Vertical Integration 2.0: An Old Strategy Makes a Comeback
More companies are seeking greater control of their value chain — but they should do so with caution.
s+b BlogsApril 13, 2015CEMEX: An Emerging Market Multinational
The most profitable global company in the cement industry expanded from Mexico by building world-class capabilities.
s+b BlogsMarch 3, 2015Sometimes It Pays to Be the Underdog
Large chains that compete too aggressively against small businesses may suffer the wrath of consumers.- s+b BlogsFebruary 26, 2015
Diversify or Focus? The Best Strategies Do Both
It’s time to break your company’s cycle of expand-contract-repeat. - s+b BlogsFebruary 24, 2015
Five Keys to Strategy in the Age of the Hack
When it comes to data thieves, no company is immune. Leaders, here’s how to prepare. - s+b BlogsFebruary 10, 2015
The Dangers of Too Much Workplace Cohesion
Although personal relationships among coworkers are usually viewed as positive, excessive socialization can lead to a decline in team performance. - s+b BlogsFebruary 6, 2015
Honesty (about Your Costs) Is the Best Policy
Being honest about the expenses that go into developing and distributing a product can increase sales and enhance a firm’s bond with consumers. - February 2, 2015
The Redefined No of the CFO
For today’s financial leader, decisions are based on strategy, not spreadsheets. 
January 26, 2015The Quantified Self Goes Corporate
How to make data your source of sustained growth.- s+b BlogsJanuary 22, 2015
Gone Phishin’: A Threat Companies Can’t Ignore
The loss in stock value and trading volume for companies targeted by phishing scams proves that firms have plenty to lose from these high-tech attacks. 
s+b BlogsDecember 19, 2014Best of the s+b Blog: A Feast of Management Ideas for the New Year
A look at some of the best blog posts that we published in 2014.
s+b BlogsNovember 13, 2014Don’t Brag: An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Getting Capital
Young firms seeking outside funding can attract investors by acknowledging they have room for improvement, while also playing up their strengths.- s+b BlogsNovember 11, 2014
The Complexity of Complexity
It’s not enough to say your organization is simple or complicated—you must also understand what kind of complexity you’re dealing with. 
November 10, 2014s+b Trend Watch: The Profit Conundrum
Revenues go up, but so do costs — and even with overhead cuts, company leaders don’t see the expected benefits of scale.
s+b BlogsNovember 6, 2014Adam Smith’s Other Book
Economist Russ Roberts explores Adam Smith’s The Theory of Moral Sentiments, a 255- year-old guide to the good life.
November 3, 2014Making Sense of Globalization
The DHL Global Connectedness Index, now in its third edition, shows that not all flows of trade, capital, information, and people are alike.
s+b BlogsOctober 28, 2014Free Your Strategy from Annual Planning
When your strategy is shackled to the annual planning process, you lose a uniquely powerful management tool.
s+b BlogsOctober 16, 2014Reframing Sales Effectiveness
Aligning Strategy and Sales is the best sales book of the year — and one that senior executives should read.
October 9, 2014The New Supercompetitors
Companies that realize the power of their capabilities can shape how industries evolve. For more insights, read the related article.- s+b BlogsSeptember 25, 2014
Enticing Consumers to Switch
For service companies seeking to lure customers away from their rivals, success lies in keeping it simple. 
s+b BlogsSeptember 22, 2014Are You a Conscious Capitalist?
It’s time for capitalism to find a higher purpose.
s+b BlogsAugust 27, 2014Strategies for Small-Business Survival
Bad economic conditions don’t necessarily mean a death sentence for small companies. They can employ multiple strategies to keep growing.
s+b BlogsAugust 20, 2014Price Elasticity Has Snapped
Contrary to Econ 101, your optimal price should be based on a variety of factors.
s+b BlogsAugust 14, 2014Where Are the Sinkholes in Your Strategy?
Answering two critical questions will fortify your company’s strategy—and your ability to implement it.
August 8, 2014The New Supercompetitors
Companies that realize the power of their capabilities can shape how industries evolve. And watch the related video.- s+b BlogsAugust 6, 2014
The Digitization of Financial Services
If it expects to keep growing, the industry must adopt a digital mind-set. - June 24, 2014
Don’t Let the Short-Term–Long-Term Tension Drag Your Strategy Down
How to navigate the twin demands of current performance and future investment. 
June 9, 2014Following the (M&A) Example of Others
Learning what other companies did to acquire firms in developing economies may help U.S. companies be more successful in their own M&A efforts.
- May 22, 2014
Strategy or Culture: Which Is More Important?
Although culture is much more than an “enabler” of strategy, it’s no substitute for it. 
May 5, 2014How Subsidiaries Can Gain Power in Multinational Corporations
Business units abroad that focus on technology and R&D exert more influence with the home office than those that focus on sales or marketing.- April 30, 2014
Note to Content Creators: The Mobile Web Is Not Saving You from iTunes
The app markets are winning—it’s time to focus on working (and winning) within them. - April 29, 2014
Becoming a Capable Company
Advantage is transient, but corporate identity is slow to change. Figure out that paradox, and your company will be primed for success. - April 28, 2014
Strategy Is Not about the Competition
Customers and capabilities—not the competition—should take center stage when developing strategies. 
April 28, 2014Growing When Your Industry Doesn’t
Success and profits flow to companies with uniquely valuable market propositions — regardless of their sector.
April 24, 2014The Hidden Business Benefits of Regulation
How embracing sensible legislation can unlock opportunity.- April 16, 2014
Best of Multimedia: Benjamin Zander on Choosing Possibility Thinking
It takes discipline to empower others to awaken their creativity, energy, and spontaneity. - April 9, 2014
(Tacit) Knowledge Is Power
Sharing soft data between salespeople and marketers can boost a company’s innovation efforts and improve its relationship with customers. 
April 3, 2014A New Life for strategy+business
Our firm, now called Strategy&, joins the PwC network.
March 6, 2014Building a Megaproject Without the Mega Problems
Large initiatives such as oil pipelines have a higher chance of succeeding when stakeholders work together to manage the risks.- March 3, 2014
Are Companies Responsible for the Off-Hours Behavior of Their Employees?
A growing rift in San Francisco between techies and long-term residents raises questions about whether employers can—or should—encourage workers to be better neighbors. 
February 20, 2014Are Corporate Sponsorships Worth It? Investors Say No
Unless a company is backing a philanthropic event, U.S. investors tend to be unhappy with corporate sponsorships.
February 14, 2014How Do You Compete?
Roger Martin, coauthor of Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works, introduces a lesson on the proper foundation for core competencies from Compete Smarter, Not Harder: A Process for Developing the Right Priorities through Strategic Thinking, by William Putsis.
February 11, 2014A Step-by-Step Guide to Winning the Customer
Companies that understand the stages of consumer purchasing decisions have an outsized influence in their outcome.
February 11, 2014Four Profit-Boosting Strategies for Wealth Managers
How to help close the gap between assets under management and revenues.
February 11, 2014Cut Your Company’s Fat but Keep Some Slack
Why excess capacity leads to greater efficiency.- February 10, 2014
Do We Really Want Public Pension Funds to Become Activist Investors?
Some funds are making bolder demands of the companies they hold shares in, and that’s not necessarily a good thing. 
January 30, 2014The Dangers of Adjacencies Strategy
Why a popular approach to growth may put your company’s health at risk.- January 23, 2014
Make Room for a Successful IPO
New high-tech companies are more attractive to investors when they show room for growth. - January 8, 2014
Big Data Strategy: s+b’s Strategy of the Year
From the headlines to the C-suite, big data embodied the height of strategy-as-fashion in 2013. 
January 2, 2014Four Crisis Triggers Multinational Companies Can Avoid
For multinational companies operating in Russia and China, the key to success is finding ways to avoid PR crises, rather than managing them after they happen.- December 10, 2013
Why We Should Deregulate the Government
To be effective, a government needs the same thing as a business: good management. - December 2, 2013
Introducing s+b’s “Strategy of the Year”
What is 2013’s most in-vogue strategy? Make your nominations. 
- November 14, 2013
Conglomerates Bounce Back
Borrowing clout gives large companies an edge in a financial crisis. 
November 12, 2013From Netscape to eHarmony: The High Risks and Big Rewards of Platform Markets
Companies that link complementary partners, like dating sites or online auctions, can dominate for years or be swept away in an instant.- November 7, 2013
Looking Outside: A Fresh Approach to Project Management
When planning large projects, managers should base their forecasts for costs and timelines not on their own optimism, but on statistical data from previous ventures. - October 31, 2013
Working Capital Isn’t as Important as It’s Cracked Up to Be
When it comes to managing a company’s working capital, CFOs must balance the need to stock inventory against the need to provide value for shareholders. - October 24, 2013
Slow and Steady Firms Win the Survival Race
New businesses may be tempted to expand as quickly as possible, but such rapid growth can doom a fledgling company. 
October 7, 2013How Leaders Mistake Execution for Strategy
Former Strategy& senior partner Ken Favaro explains to former s+b executive editor Paul Michelman that when leaders substitute visions, missions, purposes, plans, or goals for the real work of strategy, they send their firms adrift.- October 7, 2013
The Capable Strategist: We’re from Corporate and We're Here to Help
Former Strategy& senior partner Ken Favaro speaks with former s+b executive editor Paul Michelman about understanding the real value of corporate strategy and the head office. - September 24, 2013
How Microsoft Can Once Again Punch Above Its Weight
A respected head office and strong corporate affinity will drive the company’s fortunes. 
September 20, 2013The Rocket Science of Low-Cost Innovation
It’s possible to develop new projects on a small budget, but, as NASA’s efforts show, companies have to be committed to the process if it is to succeed.- September 19, 2013
Variety, Not Quantity, Drives Car Sales
Having too much inventory can hurt sales, but offering a variety of products is good for business. - September 16, 2013
Seven Ways to Make Your Strategic Planning Relevant
Planning and performance management systems can be designed to reinforce your most distinctive capabilities—not undermine them. - September 9, 2013
When Banks Go Digital, Everyone Wins
Digitization will enhance the customer experience, and can save banks up to 30 percent. - September 3, 2013
Laura Rittenhouse’s Candor Analytics
Inspired by Warren Buffett, a former Lehman analyst figures out that plain-speaking companies have higher performance. - August 30, 2013
Deploying the M&A Counterattack
Sometimes it pays for a company to respond to a deal in its own backyard, and sometimes it doesn’t. 
August 27, 2013Strategic Change without Tears
A review of Strategic Transformation: Changing while Winning, by Manuel Hensmans, Gerry Johnson, and George Yip.
August 27, 2013The Secret to a Successful Divestiture
When you are selling part of your company, don’t just offer buyers a potential asset; give them the capabilities to gain value from it.
August 27, 2013To an Analog Banker in a Digital World
What happened to recorded music is about to happen to you. But only a few banks are making the right moves from branches to online services.
August 27, 2013How Ready Are You for Growth?
A Booz & Company study reveals that only 17 percent of companies are poised for a profitable future.- August 19, 2013
Retaining Top Talent: Yes, It Really Is All about Them
If you want to retain your high-potential employees, you have to get involved in helping them plan their careers. - August 19, 2013
Do You Have a Stay Strategy?
Starting a business is one thing—sticking with it is quite another. - August 1, 2013
A Bottom-of-the-Pyramid Strategy Yields Top-of-the-Pyramid Results
Companies that focus on consumers with little spending power can change the dynamics of an industry. - July 29, 2013
Was News Corp’s Split Inevitable and Is PepsiCo Next?
Why some corporate relationships end in divorce while others live on in blissful union. 
July 26, 2013The Auto Industry’s Big Bailout Bounce
The rescue of GM and Chrysler came with a cost, but it put them back in the game and even benefited Ford.- July 19, 2013
The Bad Side of Good Governance
Well-meaning but meddlesome boards can wreak havoc on a company during a financial crisis. - July 18, 2013
Is Strategy Fixed or Variable?
Successful strategists understand that their role is to manage a process fraught with contradictions. - July 8, 2013
Summer Camp for Systems Thinkers
Introducing Camp Snowball, where teachers learn the hidden interactions that separate success from failure. 
June 14, 2013Curbing Risks in Complicated Projects
Too many companies are geared toward fixing problems rather than preventing them.- June 7, 2013
Containing the Anger over Customer Fees
When assessing penalty charges, companies must be fair, flexible, and transparent. 
May 28, 2013Building a Flywheel Business
By linking customers and capabilities, companies can generate the momentum for sustainable growth.
May 13, 2013Can Best Buy Thwart the Grim Reaper?
The big box retailer badly needs a good dose of strategic innovation. Is it up to the task?
May 6, 2013The Manager as Maker
Don Tapscott, who has written 15 books, most recently Radical Openness: Four Unexpected Principles for Success, introduces an excerpt that demonstrates how openness to new business practices and work settings can unleash human capital, from The Soul of Design: Harnessing the Power of Plot to Create Extraordinary Products, by Lee Devin and Robert D. Austin.- April 19, 2013
How Multinational Corporations Are Buffered from Financial Crises
Multinationals can increase exports from markets hurt by a decline in local sales. - April 8, 2013
We’re from Corporate and We’re Here to Help
Understanding the real value of corporate strategy and the head office. 
April 5, 2013A Helpful Prod from the Press Gallery
How negative media coverage can have a positive impact on a company’s strategic direction.
March 15, 2013Embracing the Twists and Turns in Project Management
Surprises can be frustrating, but they often come with big opportunities.
March 11, 2013The Right Ideas in All the Wrong Places
How strategic intuition unlocks innovative solutions to your biggest problems.
March 1, 2013You Gotta Serve Somebody
Jeff Thull, author of Mastering the Complex Sale: How to Compete and Win When the Stakes Are High, introduces a passage that overturns negative stereotypes about sales from To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth about Moving Others, by Daniel H. Pink.
February 26, 2013Beyond Functions
Conventional organizational structures may be obsolete. How about a model based on capabilities instead?
February 26, 2013Designing the Right Supply Chain
Companies that align their operations to their strategy unleash superior performance.
February 26, 2013Think Functionally, Act Strategically
When a company competes on capabilities, its specialist leaders—in HR, IT, finance, and elsewhere—play a new, influential role.
February 26, 2013Predicting “Flash Crashes”
A controversial financial market indicator may be able to prevent short-term crises in the modern computerized trading world.
February 15, 2013Chapter 11’s Impact on Airline Performance
Bankruptcy gives a bounce to operational improvements, but not for long.- February 1, 2013
General Electric’s Lessons in Product Innovation
Tracking the milestones in a century of strategic commitment. - January 11, 2013
The Adverse Effects of Overvalued Stock
When prices are inflated, and governance is weak, it’s easier to underperform. 
January 4, 2013More Than Words
George S. Yip, co-author of Strategic Transformation: Changing While Winning, introduces an excerpt from Management in 10 Words: Practical Advice from the Man Who Created One of the World’s Largest Retailers, by Terry Leahy, that explores the anchoring effect of business values.
November 27, 2012The Lesson of Lost Value
A new study finds that underestimating strategic risk is the number one cause of shareholder value destruction. But it doesn’t have to be.- September 21, 2012
The Limits of Good Governance in the Great Recession
“Prudent” banks couldn’t resist subprime investments — and took a bigger hit in the stock market. - September 14, 2012
Cyber Risk Insurance: Valuable, but Not a Magic Bullet
Special coverage for data attacks is not enough — companies must also beef up internal protections and oversight. - August 28, 2012
Venture Capital Firms Trim Their Wings
In cutting down on risky investments, the VC industry is both curbing its upside potential and shortchanging startups. 
August 6, 2012Blank Checks: Unleashing the Potential of People and Businesses
How an unusual management technique inspires business teams to envision — and achieve — breakthrough results.- June 1, 2012
How a Short-Term Strategy Can Backfire
Patterns appear in higher stock volatility, increased capital costs, and a drop in return on assets. 
May 29, 2012Strategy: An Executive’s Definition
What is a business strategy? It is the result of choices made to maximize long-term value.
May 29, 2012Three Games of Strategic Thinking
Decision makers struggling with uncertainty can choose from a trio of probabilistic models to match the type of risks they face.
May 29, 2012How Friendship Pays Off at the Lending Desk
Personal connections between borrowers and bankers produce better results for both sides.
April 27, 2012The Two Levels of Strategy
Business strategy is best distinguished from corporate strategy by the different perspectives that business leaders and strategic planners must bring to bear.
April 13, 2012Shortening the Time Line for a Recall
Three key factors can delay — or accelerate — an announcement.- April 6, 2012
A Big Payoff from Online Company Communities
Membership engages customers, who spend more across the board. - March 23, 2012
Weighing the Performance of Private Equity Firms
The companies PE firms acquire aren’t any more likely to go under than other debt-heavy businesses, once some variables are factored in. - March 16, 2012
Diversification Reduces the Risk of Bankruptcy
But once diversified firms are in Chapter 11, they spend more time and money to get out. 
February 22, 2012The Capabilities Premium in M&A
A new study of inorganic growth shows that deals made to enhance or leverage the things that companies do well consistently outperform others.
February 17, 2012Winning Moves for 12 Industries
Every industry faces its own challenges in 2012’s turbulent, uncertain economic environment. These capabilities systems could pave the way for business growth and development in a dozen key sectors.- February 10, 2012
Using Market Footholds to Confuse the Competition
A niche in a new market can be a base for growth — or a way to keep rivals off guard. - February 3, 2012
How Monitoring by Stock Analysts Pays Dividends
Performance improves at firms that are tracked — the more analysts, the bigger the boost. - January 30, 2012
Seven Value Creation Lessons from Private Equity
What top-tier PE firms can teach public companies about creating and sustaining value over time. 
January 27, 2012The “Third Team” Approach to Board Effectiveness
Gains are seen when a subset of directors and senior executives share knowledge and ideas.
January 13, 2012The Dollar Payoff from CSR and Sustainability
How a deep commitment translates into better numbers in the stock market and on the bottom line.
January 13, 2012A Collaborative Approach to Marketing
Four steps to implementing a shared-services model to capture scale and develop advanced capabilities.
January 6, 2012Mixed Blessings from Antidumping Tariffs
Revenues rise at protected companies, but from price hikes — and production decreases.- December 23, 2011
How Hard Times Affect a CEO’s Career
Starting out in a recession scales down the scope of success. 
December 9, 2011Aftermath of Bank Bailouts: More Risk
Loans and investments got edgier when U.S. aid was given.
December 2, 2011What Can You Do Better?
Paul Leinwand, coauthor, with Cesare Mainardi, of The Essential Advantage: How to Win with a Capabilities-Driven Strategy, introduces a guiding maxim for CSR success from Winning Investors Over: Surprising Truths about Honesty, Earnings Guidance, and Other Ways to Boost Your Stock Price, by Baruch Lev.- November 23, 2011
Turning Tight Money into Smart Money
Investments become more prudent when borrowing becomes harder. - November 23, 2011
The Top 10 M&A Fallacies and Self-Deceptions
With merger and acquisition activity heating up, here’s a due diligence checklist for regaining clarity. 
November 22, 2011Resetting the Cost Structure at Shell
A senior finance executive explains how a zero-based cost management effort is leading to significant performance improvements.
November 22, 2011The Right Side of Financial Services
Financial institutions need new strategies — to rethink portfolios, customer-centricity, and risk — for the neglected side of their balance sheets.- August 23, 2011
Putting a Dollar Value on Academic Business Research
MBA students who attend schools where teachers publish frequently end up earning more. 
August 23, 201110 Clues to Opportunity
Market anomalies and incongruities may point the way to your next breakthrough strategy.- August 12, 2011
How CEO Security Affects Investment Strategies
Fixed-term contracts encourage R&D and capital expenses, but only up to a point. 
July 1, 2011Lessons from Failure
Unsuccessful efforts to improve the status quo often have the richest silver linings.
May 24, 2011The New Financial Matchmakers
The rise of private market networks is changing the capital markets and opening up new opportunities for business leaders and innovators.
May 24, 2011Crafting Best-in-Class Business Intelligence
Start by choosing the metrics that matter most for your company, and then ensure the support of your employees and partners.
May 24, 2011CEO Succession 2010: The Four Types of CEOs
Booz & Company’s annual study of turnover among chief executives — now increasingly diverse, as the world’s largest companies migrate to emerging economies — suggests that the nature of the job varies with the role of the corporate core.
May 24, 2011Banking on Social Media
Retail banks can use Facebook, YouTube, and other new platforms to better reach their “Generation C” customers.- May 24, 2011
Data Points: Corporate Incoherence
More than half of surveyed executives don’t buy their company’s strategy. 
May 24, 2011The Next Winning Move in Private Equity
To outperform their rivals, private equity firms will need to enhance their ability to spur organic growth in the companies they own. (And public companies will need to follow.)
May 24, 2011New Views of Microeconomics
A review of Identity Economics, by George A. Akerlof and Rachel E. Kranton.- April 8, 2011
Short-term Compensation and Banking Failure
A study of stock option transactions reveals a link between the financial institutions most battered by the crisis and sales of shares by CEOs and other executives. 
March 21, 2011Total Shareholder Returns
This measure of business performance is the best indicator of corporate success.- February 22, 2011
Getting a New Job? It Pays to Speak Up about Salary
In a soft economy, collaborative negotiation may be the winning strategy. - February 11, 2011
The Impact of Financing Risk on Innovative Startups
Staged financing of new firms poses dangers to early investors. But in a hot market, it can set loose a frenzy of funding. - December 20, 2010
Successful Strategic Planning
In times of great uncertainty, strategic planning must shift from a bureaucratic, linear process to a more targeted approach that is both analytic and creative. 
November 23, 2010The Right to Win
Business strategy is at an evolutionary crossroads. It’s time to resolve the long-standing tension between the inherent identity of your organization and the fleeting nature of your competitive advantage.
November 23, 2010Road Map to Relevance
How a capabilities-driven information technology strategy can help differentiate your company.
November 23, 2010The Good, the Bad, and the Trustworthy
Even successful public relations is no longer enough to protect a company’s reputation.
November 15, 201015 Years, 50 Classics
To celebrate a decade and a half of publication, we asked the s+b editors to look back and choose the articles that have had the greatest impact.- November 8, 2010
The Coherence Profiler
An interactive diagnostic test can show you how focused your company’s activities are — with sometimes surprising results. 
August 24, 2010Growth through Focus: A Blueprint for Driving Profitable Expansion
Rather than seek increased revenues and profits by expanding products and markets, companies should follow a seven-step strategy for achieving more with less.
August 24, 2010Getting Tensions Right
How CEOs can turn conflict, dissent, and disagreement into a powerful tool for driving performance.- August 24, 2010
When It Pays to Stay in School
Students who enter the job market while the economy is strong find success earlier and earn higher wages throughout their careers than those who join the workforce during a down economy. - August 24, 2010
Doing Well by Doing Bad
Successful firms are more likely to break the law when their managers are under tremendous pressure to exceed quarterly goals. 
August 24, 2010The Psychology of Consumer Choice
Advertisements can subconsciously condition consumers to associate products with a certain feeling, which can affect the decision to buy.- August 6, 2010
Reaching Too Far
Predatory lending played a large part in the financial crisis, but also to blame were affluent homeowners who knowingly bought houses they couldn’t afford. - July 9, 2010
Investing through the Downturn
The recession has changed the way angel investors allocate their money, but not their willingness to remain active in funding new ventures. - June 14, 2010
Boards of Prevention
Corporate directors can – and should – play a much more active role in overseeing risk and avoiding major crises. - June 7, 2010
Solving Moral Hazard in Banking
Proposals to tax and regulate bank compensation are fast gaining momentum, but they fail to address the core issue. 
May 25, 2010CEO Succession 2000-2009: A Decade of Convergence and Compression
The role of the chief executive is evolving. CEOs from around the world discuss the game-changing practices that lead to success.- May 25, 2010
Managing Criticism
Strategies for effectively responding to negative evaluations by influential outsiders. 
May 25, 2010Does Location Really Matter?
For innovation-based companies, being located in an industry cluster has long been thought to enhance long-term financial prospects. This research suggests otherwise.- May 25, 2010
Follow the Money
Understanding how money makes its way from institutional investors to venture capitalists to entrepreneurs. - May 14, 2010
How M&A Affects Employee Wages
Mergers and acquisitions have traditionally been considered a means to reducing labor costs, but this research finds the opposite may be true. 
May 7, 2010The Problem with Anonymous Whistle-Blowing
Channels for evaluating anonymous whistle-blowing claims are not as effective as they should be.
April 19, 2010Coping with Commoditization
A review of Beating the Commodity Trap, by Richard A. D’Aveni.- April 19, 2010
Putting Strategy into Practice
Celebrating a “must-read” concept, based on data from thousands of companies: Information flow and decision rights are integral parts of the strategic process. - April 16, 2010
Assessing the Operational Risk of Hedge Funds
Many investors look solely at past performance as an indicator of future success, but that isn’t an accurate measure of risk. - April 5, 2010
Clarity from Switzerland
How well does your company’s annual report communicate and reinforce leadership intent and corporate values? - March 8, 2010
Six Industries in Search of Survival
Despite improvements in the global economy, chemicals, retail banking, consumer packaged goods, engineered products and services, oil and gas, and technology still need to transform. 
February 23, 2010What Is Your Risk Appetite?
To avoid swinging between over-exuberance and excessive caution, set a disciplined target for your desired investment outcomes.- February 23, 2010
Why “Built to Last” Companies Didn’t
A review of How the Mighty Fall and Why Some Companies Never Give In, by Jim Collins. - February 23, 2010
A Better Way to Fix Bankers’ Pay
Instead of bashing bonuses, let’s put in place the incentives we need: linking compensation to risk and capital. 
November 24, 2009An Essential Step for Corporate Strategy
Though often missing, a formal operations strategy can guide the crucial decisions that build competitive advantage.
November 24, 2009Capturing the Asian Opportunity
Economic recovery in China, India, and elsewhere in the region could be the strongest source of sustained global growth for years to come.- November 16, 2009
The Most Powerful Paths to Profits
Twelve strategies to shape a company’s destiny. 
November 2, 2009What Banking Needs to Become
Regulations and consumer expectations are changing. The business models, capabilities, and practices of the financial-services industry must change with them.- November 2, 2009
A Global Financial Governance Primer
Government leaders are designing the next regulatory regime for banks; their answers to four basic questions will determine how well it works. - October 29, 2009
Location, Location, Location
Where a company is based is a determining factor in whether venture capital firms choose to invest in it. 
October 8, 2009The Need for Midcourse Corrections
Firefighting techniques show how deliberate interruptions can improve the health of organizations.- September 28, 2009
What a Declining Business Media Means to CEOs
As cost cutting narrows the field of business journalism, it has become more difficult to put out a corporate story — or take one in. 
September 15, 2009Cut Costs, Grow Stronger
To reduce expenses for the long term and lead the way to recovery, start by taking a strategic view of your capabilities.- September 10, 2009
Promoting Workplace Diversity
Aiming for more diversity in management staff? Blur the lines between job boundaries, and encourage self-directed work teams. 
September 3, 2009Consultation via Collaboration
When management consultants stop being experts and start being collaborators, companies benefit.
August 27, 2009A Five-step Guide to Building Successful Brands
A winning product launch requires differentiation, positioning, personality, vision, and added value.- May 26, 2009
Creating Competitive Advantage
Management must understand the advantages and disadvantages of a company’s capabilities. - May 26, 2009
Strategies for Improving Global Labor Practices
Strategies for ensuring acceptable working conditions in the global supply chain. 
May 26, 2009Making the Most of M&A
Mergers and acquisitions are becoming more critical — and more perilous — than ever. You can build your capabilities, even in the midst of turmoil.- May 26, 2009
$950 Billion in Extra Capital
Strategies to improve working capital deficiencies and unearth excess cash from corporate balance sheets. 
April 28, 2009Is State Control Making a Comeback?
In considering the relationship between the public and private sectors, it’s time to distinguish the plausible visions of the future — such as a new regulatory environment — from those, like permanent government ownership of banks and industry, that are not plausible.- February 24, 2009
7. Finance: Facing the Liquidity Challenge
- February 24, 2009
7 Ways Forward
How to rebuild your capabilities for long-term growth in a time of turmoil. - February 24, 2009
A Cultural Fix for Risk Management Failure
How to create a culture that combines healthy risk taking with effective risk management. - February 19, 2009
The Effectiveness of Bankruptcy Proceedings
Not all firms deserve financial bailouts, and Chapter 11 proceedings are effective at determining which companies should remain in business. 
February 17, 2009Paradox of Capitalism
Economist Robert Reich believes that the excesses of capitalism have produced a world order in which people feel good as consumers but suffer as citizens.- February 10, 2009
Why Some Companies Are Making the Wrong Moves
A new survey reveals a disconnect between what managers should be doing and what they are doing. - February 5, 2009
When Avoiding the Question Is the Best Answer
Question-dodging may go undetected when the answer is related to the question asked and is given with confidence and conviction. - January 22, 2009
Aristotle and Corporate Performance
Executives who value the ideals of Aristotelian excellence may lead their firms to become more profitable over time. - December 4, 2008
Why Business School Rankings Shouldn’t Matter
Business school rankings are big business, but they provide little information about the quality of education. - November 25, 2008
Six Rules for the New CFO
As central figures in mergers and acquisitions, today’s chief financial officers are redefining the practices of their profession. - November 25, 2008
How to Win by Changing the Game
Investing in a capabilities-driven strategy will equip your company for growth in uncertain times. - November 20, 2008
Deconstructing the Subprime Mortgage Crisis
How structured finance contributed to the meltdown. - November 11, 2008
Don’t Be Afraid of the Bear
Foreign banks can find opportunity in Russia if they are willing to navigate the risks. - October 16, 2008
How to Optimize Corporate Venture Capital Investments
Corporate venture capital efforts are most successful in firms with strong internal research and development programs. - September 18, 2008
The Benefit of Self-Regulation Policies
Self-policing measures can aid performance in firms that have good compliance records, but aren’t likely to improve the standing of companies with a history of regulatory issues. - September 11, 2008
Taking the Long View on Mergers
The operational benefits of acquisitions often aren’t apparent for 10 years or more, and the best indicator of success is approaching them as one piece of a larger corporate strategy. - September 9, 2008
Why Corporate Buyers Are Dominating M&A
Amid the tightest credit conditions in decades, the market for corporate control is favoring low-leverage, growth-oriented transactions. - August 26, 2008
A Growth Strategy for the Long Term
Economies that depend primarily on a single resource are exposed to ongoing shocks, but an export-based diversification strategy can alleviate the tremors. - August 26, 2008
Recent Research
On the appeal of logos, the impact of downsizing, the contagiousness of crisis, and the value of IT. - August 26, 2008
The Real Value of Intangibles
There is no accepted standard for appraising the worth of nonphysical assets like brands, human capital, and managerial expertise. Yet these are the essence of 21st-century business. - August 26, 2008
The Rise of the New Blue Chips
Competitive companies from emerging economies are vying on the same level in mergers with the most powerful corporations in the West. - August 21, 2008
Consultants Are No Help in Preventing High CEO Salaries
Compensation consultants, often hired by companies with deficient corporate governance, rarely prevent the boards of such companies from overpaying executives. - August 7, 2008
Negotiating for Optimal Work–Life Balance
Before entering into job negotiations, women should determine how much they expect to earn and what type of work situation would be most advantageous for all parties. - July 17, 2008
CFO Turnover in the Era of Accountability
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act has forced CFOs to be more answerable for their firms’ accounting, and to pay a steep professional price for reporting trouble. - July 10, 2008
Are Health-Care Investments Worth It?
Health-related investment funds are not the best hedge against the rising cost of consumer health care. - June 19, 2008
CEOs’ Strategic Balancing Act
High-performing CEOs do not shy away from tension between long-term and short-term goals. - June 10, 2008
CEO Succession 2007: The Performance Paradox
The news this year is that even those chief executives who deliver subpar returns are showing unexpected staying power. - June 10, 2008
First Capital, Then Strategy
The turbulence of financial markets is reversing the sequence of an optimal planning process. - June 10, 2008
A Tailored Approach for Successful Growth
How to align your management approach to the goals of your growth strategy. - June 5, 2008
Evening the Playing Field for Investors
Regulation Fair Disclosure has curbed selective disclosure of private information in the United States. - May 22, 2008
Marketing with a Crystal Ball
Consumers may be more inclined to try a product if it’s positioned as something they could benefit from in the future. - May 15, 2008
Managing Risk in International Joint Ventures
Executives must be aware of the ownership and governance structure of companies they are considering partnering with in foreign markets. - May 8, 2008
The Next Phase of Subprime Fallout
Because the market widely corroborated the inflated values of subprime instruments, plaintiffs face an uphill battle. - April 29, 2008
Winning the PR Wars
CEOs must learn to manage the media if they want to influence how their stories are told. - February 28, 2008
How to Enter Emerging Markets
A market’s openness can affect a company’s viability. - February 26, 2008
Upturn Thinking in a Downturn Year
Why it’s important not to lose sight of long-term goals during a recession. - February 21, 2008
The Effects of Regional Industrial Clustering
The region in which a company chooses to do business can have a serious impact on the way that company is perceived and on its likelihood of success. - February 14, 2008
How Today’s Best Companies Are Disrupting Existing Markets
Cross-boundary disruption requires leaders who can spot opportunities outside their industry, build strategies beyond their core competence, and act entrepreneurially regardless of the size of their company. - January 31, 2008
A Precise Price Can Increase Sales
People tend to misjudge precise prices as being less than round prices of similar value. This discovery could have significant implications for buyers, sellers, and pricing strategists in any number of industries. - January 24, 2008
The Value of Public–Private Collaboration in Emerging Markets
Building relationships with public and private institutions can help emerging businesses upgrade their operations and gain access to knowledge, technology, and contacts — all of which can lead to substantial improvements in quality. - January 17, 2008
The Effects of Bank Deregulation
Contrary to some expectations, liberalizing restrictions on interstate bank branching has diminished income inequities for many workers. - January 10, 2008
Is “One Share–One Vote” the Best System?
One share–one vote systems, by weakening insiders, make it more likely that value-increasing takeovers will occur. Often, insiders are the only shareholders who will resist such takeovers, and other investors are out of luck if they don’t have voting power. - January 10, 2008
Do Store Brands Affect Customer Loyalty?
From a strict loyalty perspective (ignoring the benefits of higher margins), many stores have already overdone private labels. But for value-oriented chains, the loyalty effects are less pronounced; their goal should simply be to convince customers that their private-label goods are of high quality. - December 18, 2007
Bridging the Marketing–Sales Chasm
A common, fundamental disconnect between getting the message out and closing the deal can lead to lost sales opportunities. But it doesn’t have to. - December 4, 2007
An Inside Job: Best Practices from Within
The best solutions to an organization’s problems may be found among its members. - November 28, 2007
Recent Research
On catching malfeasance, improving boards, priming brands, predicting negotiations, and appreciating e-mail. - May 29, 2007
Services in Search of True Marketing ROI
Service industries -- including financial services, health care, utilities, and telecom -- have access to vast consumer data, but lack the tools that most consumer goods companies use to understand customer behavior. - May 29, 2007
Health Meets Wealth
How health care and financial services can converge to revolutionize employee benefits. - May 29, 2007
Books in Brief
Ideas that take hold, how strategy can lead to failure, rebounding from career failure, and AIG under Hank Greenberg. - April 24, 2007
Is Your Sales Force Adaptable?
Here’s a five-step plan for routinely revamping a sales team. - March 13, 2007
The Case for Pricey Acquisitions
High-multiple acquisition targets can be the best bargains. - February 28, 2007
Books in Brief
A world-changing entrepreneur, capitalist families, inspiring CFOs, and wise advisors. - February 28, 2007
Joseph Ellis: The Thought Leader Interview
The author of Ahead of the Curve explains the mysteries of the business cycle. - February 28, 2007
The Game Maven of New Haven
Yale professor Barry Nalebuff brought game theory from the ivory tower to the executive suite — and to his own thriving company, Honest Tea. - February 28, 2007
The Favoritism Test
Learn to avoid the pitfalls of rewarding sycophants in the workplace. - February 28, 2007
Too Much Money
Just when the need for excess cash has decreased, companies are hoarding capital instead of putting it to good use. - February 6, 2007
Getting a Return on Financial-Services Marketing
The financial industry lags others in making the connection between marketing investments and returns. Three analytical tools can help financial-services companies develop the capability to see more clearly. - November 30, 2006
Outrunning the Regulators
Staying ahead of security rules can create competitive advantage. - November 14, 2006
Getting to "No"
How nonprofit organizations can stretch their limited resources by focusing on priorities and avoiding mission creep. - May 30, 2006
A Cooperative Solution
This self-governing corporate structure protects communities and prospers in a globalizing world. - February 28, 2006
Sharpening Your Business Acumen
A six-step guide for incorporating external trends into your internal strategies. - February 28, 2006
Mergers: Back to “Happily Ever After”
Mergers are often considered risky, but when they're executed correctly, there's no better way to grow a company. Here are three crucial factors for M&A success. - February 28, 2006
Love Your “Dogs”
Behavioral economics can reveal the hidden value in the poor performers of a business unit portfolio. - February 28, 2006
Derivative Wisdom
Sources old and new that allow mere mortals to crack the code of cutting-edge finance. - August 26, 2005
Recent Research
On emerging-world corporate “tigers,” the profitability of innovations, and other topics of interest. - August 26, 2005
Dirty and Clean Laundry
A new spate of books and reports puts corporate behavior on display — and enlivens the debate about business’s purpose in society. 
August 26, 2005Format Invasions: Surviving Business’s Least Understood Competitive Upheavals
Surviving business's least understood competitive upheavals.- August 26, 2005
Virtual Scale: Alliances for Leverage
Smaller companies can compete with industry giants by pooling resources with carefully chosen partners. - August 26, 2005
Making Acquisitions Work
By adhering to four operational principles of integration, companies can maximize their chances for M&A success. - May 23, 2005
A Merger’s Success Is the CFO’s Job
Today’s chief financial officers are valued analysts who can ensure that mergers achieve scale, grow the existing business, and increase shareholder value. - March 1, 2005
SOX Rocks, but Won’t Block Shocks
To protect shareholder value, companies must link risk management with strategic planning and avoid overreacting to regulatory compliance mandates. - March 1, 2005
Correcting a Culture That Breeds Mistakes
Major corporate crises don't just happen. Most are the result of multiple mistakes. - March 1, 2005
Are Dollar Reserves Still Safe?
The U.S. dollar has been the world’s main reserve currency since World War II, but this source of stability is becoming more and more dangerous. - March 1, 2005
Not Your Father's CFO
With Sarbanes-Oxley at their backs and growth on the horizon, leading chief financial officers are transforming their roles … and their companies. - August 25, 2004
Recent Studies
On diversity’s payoff, e-pricing strategy, marketing and growth, and other topics of interest. - August 25, 2004
No-Frills CRM
By leveraging the customer data it already possesses, a company can improve customer profitability and uncover new opportunities. - June 1, 2004
The Philosopher of Progress and Prosperity
Peruvian economist Hernando de Soto has found a way to enrich the poor. - June 1, 2004
The Right Way to Make Branch Banking Pay
For today’s consumer banks, reinventing local branches as a hub to attract and retain customers is essential to profit and growth. - June 1, 2004
The World’s Most Exciting Accountant
NYU Professor Baruch Lev finds vast value in intangible assets. - May 21, 2003
Flight for Survival: A New Business Model for the Airline Industry
To pare down their colossal operating costs, giant U.S. and European carriers must restructure the hub-and-spoke system and eliminate complexity. - February 24, 2003
Finding Sanity with Game Theory
John Nash had a beautiful mind. These books showcase beautiful implications for companies. - February 14, 2003
Symantec’s Strategy-Based Transformation
How fresh leadership, serial acquisitions, and a new market made CEO John Thompson’s billion-dollar promise come true. - October 11, 2002
Consolidation: The Wireless Way
As pressures to merge rise yet again, wireless operators need innovative approaches to yield economic benefits. 
October 11, 2002Globalism without Tears: A New Social Compact for CEOs
The world’s economies can grow more secure and more humane if chief executives and boards accept and execute a five-point corporate citizenship agenda.- July 15, 2002
Breaking Up Is Hard to Do — and to Manage
Three rules for ensuring that spin-offs create — and don’t destroy — value. - February 13, 2002
Recent Studies
- October 1, 2001
A Trillion-Dollar Opportunity
- July 1, 2001
Insurers: How to Win the Web Finance Wars
- April 1, 2001
Scrambled Egg: The Making and Breaking of an Online Bank
For the pioneering U.K. startup, clicks without bricks and building share without care led to a first-mover disadvantage. - April 1, 2001
Online Aggregation: The Battle Ahead
- January 1, 2001
The Lake Wobegon Economy
It’s a place where revenue growth is two to three times the norm, and shareholder returns are way above average. You’d better move there soon, our newest research shows, if you want to attract investors and talent. - January 1, 2001
Wireless Finance: On the Money
- January 1, 2001
The State of Strategy, 2001
Rethinking the ABCs at the Strategic Management Society's annual meeting. - January 1, 1999
How to Capture Hidden Value
Non-Product-Related sourcing can cost the equivalent of 20 percent or more of a company's sales. Yet, it is frequently overlooked as a potential source of significant savings and efficiency gains. Managed rigorously, the hidden value of such sourcing can be substantial. - January 1, 1999
Are Financial Institutions Really Ready for the Euro?
- October 1, 1998
Balanced Sourcing the Honda Way
- October 1, 1998
Modern Manors: Welfare Capitalism Since the New Deal by Stanford Jacoby
Modern Manners: Welfare Capitalism Since the New Deal by Sanford M. Jacoby (345 pages, Princeton University Press, 1997) - July 1, 1998
Corporate Breakups
Acquisitions are all the rage, but when it comes to creating value, big is not always better. What matters is how a company's pieces work together. - July 1, 1998
Market Entry Strategies: Pioneers Versus Late Arrivals
What is the best way to move into a new market? If you do not have a first-in advantage, attack the one who does. - July 1, 1998
The Value of Big in Banking
- July 1, 1998
"The Living Company" by Arie de Geus
The Living Company: Habits for Survival in a Turbulent Business Environment by Arie de Geus (215 Pages, Harvard Business School Press, 1997) - July 1, 1998
"Blur" by Stan Davis and Christopher Meyer
Blur: The Speed of Change in the Connected Economy by Stan Davis and Christopher Meyer (265 pages, Addison-Wesley, 1998) - January 1, 1998
Inside Dell Computer Corporation: Managing Working Capital
The secret to excellence lies in doing many things well. It also requires staying focused on the goal even when tempted to do otherwise. - October 1, 1997
Creating Value Through E.V.A.- Myth or Reality?
"Economic value added" has received a great deal of attention as a management tool. It is effective, but are all E.V. A.'s alike? And how do companies employ the technique to achieve their goals? - July 1, 1997
10x Value: The Engine Powering Long-Term Shareholder Returns
What does it take to grow shareholder value at world-class rates? More than profit and revenue increases. It takes strategic innovation to make it into the top tier. - January 1, 1997
Stock-Based Compensation and the Cost of Capital
- July 1, 1996
The Internet's Impact on Retail Banking
- April 1, 1996
Why Bad Things Happen to Good Companies
- January 1, 1996
The Next Wave: Re-engineering for Growth
The first wave of re-engineering emphasized cost. The next wave focuses on eliminating unnecessary expense while improving quality, speed and service.
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