What’s Style Got to Do With Strategy?
Phanish PuranamMarch 15, 2021
By Phanish Puranam Careful calibration of aesthetics and style can elevate companies and individuals above the competition. There are watches, and there are watches. Even in the rarefied world of luxury watchmaking, the offerings range from merely excellent to heirloom-worthy. Each timepiece is an intricate marriage of two domains, aesthetics and technology, and seeks […]
What It Means to Embark on a Journey of Change
Isabelle LaporteMarch 8, 2021
By Isabelle Laporte Many executives have a nagging sense that something is amiss in their lives. But not all of them find the courage – or the tools – to tackle what needs fixing. There is no clear demarcation between anyone’s public and private worlds. What goes on in our personal life affects our […]
Prospects and Pitfalls for the Post-Pandemic Organisation
Phanish PuranamMarch 8, 2021
By Phanish Puranam Big changes are coming for organisations and organisation designs. Whether they will be for good or ill depends on how leaders confront three key possibilities uncovered by the pandemic. As a researcher who studies organisations and their designs, I am often asked to make predictions about the future of organisations after […]
Social Media Helps Global “Dream Teams” Come Together
Pawel KorzynskiMarch 1, 2021
By Pawel Korzynski Academic international collaboration is now evolving beyond conferences or formal networks as constantly improving social media connects more researchers. Social media serves to amplify messages. It’s used to address marketing needs, promote a brand from within or spread true and false information. But it can do more: Social media can help create […]
Not Everyone Can Be Agile
Yves DozMarch 1, 2021
By Yves Doz An essential checklist for Agile aspirants. There is no getting around the hype surrounding Agile, the organisational concept originally codified by software developers in 2001. Powered by the demands of a fast-changing consumer landscape in recent years, Agile’s reach has stretched beyond software development and now extends to customer relations as well […]
The Group Dynamics That Define Well-Functioning Boards
Vincent H. DominéFebruary 22, 2021
By Vincent H. Dominé There is an intangible aspect to successful boards that cannot be captured by curating the right CVs. From the outside, it’s not so difficult to distinguish well-functioning corporate boards from problem-plagued ones. Healthy, successful boards are those that make wise decisions, within a reasonable timeframe, that carry weight with management. But […]
The Digital Transformation of the “Mad Men” Model
David DuboisFebruary 22, 2021
By David Dubois The ad agency business needs to reinvent itself and embrace the two key challenges of the coming decade. When the pandemic hit, technological changes had already profoundly reshaped consumer-brand interactions. Yet in hindsight, those pre-Covid digitalisation trends look gentle and gradual. Amid lockdown, for instance, 71 percent of consumers in the United […]
Teams in Evolution – and Revolution – After the Pandemic
Henrik BresmanFebruary 15, 2021
By Henrik Bresman How sensemaking can help you cope with unplanned, constant changes in your team. “I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower Right now it seems far away, but a post-Covid world is coming. Is it closer to us than the start of the pandemic? […]
In Bad Times, Decentralised Firms Outperform Their Rivals
Philippe AghionFebruary 15, 2021
By Philippe Aghion When there’s increased turbulence, delegating power improves sales and productivity, boosting a firm’s chance of survival. Imagine a ship at sea, at risk of sinking in a tempest. Is it better to empower the crew to do whatever it takes to save the ship, or should every decision be made by […]
Why Firms Should Care About the Career Stage of China’s Officials
Xiaowei Rose LuoFebruary 8, 2021
By Xiaowei Rose Luo Tasked with a broad range of objectives, government officials will prioritise different ones depending on their career stage and mobilise firms accordingly. Governments typically set a wide range of goals. This is reasonable and expected: For a society to grow sustainably, social stability-related targets are just as critical as economic ones. […]