Measuring management: It is no longer just a plausible theory that good management boosts productivity

Measuring management: It is no longer just a plausible theory that good management boosts productivity

Jan 18th 2014 | From the print edition

MANAGEMENT is one of the most successful industries of the past century. In 1914 it was a mere infant. The Harvard Business School (HBS) was just six years old. Management literature consisted of Frederick Taylor’s “The Principles of Scientific Management” (1911) and a few other scraps. Today it is a loud-mouthed adult. A quarter of American graduate students study business. Some of the world’s most profitable businesses peddle the modern equivalent of Taylor’s “Principles”.

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How to build companies from a kit

Building companies: Rocket machine; How to build companies from a kit

Jan 18th 2014 | From the print edition

WHY BOTHER WITH accelerators? Why not just hire a bunch of clever youngsters, provide them with the necessary cash, support and technology, and tell them to pursue a business idea with a proven success record? That should make it possible to start a new company in weeks, not months or years. Read more of this post

Tales from an overworked City

January 16, 2014 4:44 pm

Tales from an overworked City

By Emma Jacobs

During an internship at Goldman Sachs, one undergraduate, who prefers not to be named, learnt a great deal about banking – and himself. “I know that I can work 15 to 20-hour days without collapsing,” he says, although he admits to nodding off in the toilet a couple of times. Such stamina “is a useful skill to have”, the student reflects. Read more of this post

《惡戰》把我的悲伤 留给自己 从此以后 我再没有 快乐起来的理由

《 把悲伤留给自己 》
词/曲：陈升
能不能让我陪着你走
既然你说留不住你
回去的路有些黑暗
担心让你一个人走
我想是因为我不够温柔
不能分担你的忧愁
如果这样说不出口
就把遗憾放在心中
把我的悲伤留给自己你的美丽让你带走
从此以后我再没有快乐起来的理由
我想我可以忍住悲伤可不可以你也会想起我
是不是可以牵你的手啊
从来没有这样要求
怕你难过转身就走
那就这样吧我会了解的
我想我可以忍住悲伤假装生命中没有你
从此以后我在这里日夜等待你的消息
能不能让我陪着你走
既然你说留不住你
无论你再天涯海角
时不时的偶尔会想起我
可不可以你也会想起我
可不可以

How J.D. Power III Transformed the Auto Industry

How J.D. Power III Transformed the Auto Industry

Jan 14, 20140

In 1968, J.D. Power III took the radical step of soliciting customer feedback about cars through consumer surveys. This move ultimately led automakers to shift their operations from a product focus to a greater focus on the customer. Today, J.D. Power and Associates is focused on gauging customer satisfaction across a broad array of industries. Power is now the subject of a new book that documents that history: Power: How J.D. Power III Became the Auto Industry’s Adviser, Confessor, and Eyewitness to History, by Sarah Morgans and Bill Thorness.  Recently, Power was a guest at the Mack Institute for Innovation Management conference on the theme of disruptive technologies. Wharton professor of managementJohn Paul MacDuffie  sat down with Power to learn more about the experiences that led him to launch J.D. Power and Associates.

An edited transcript of the conversation follows. Read more of this post

The late, great 8-hour workday

The late, great 8-hour workday

BY NATHAN PENSKY 
ON JANUARY 15, 2014

Startup founders have been known to talk about “entrepreneurship as a lifestyle.” Long hours, bad food, poor job security – these are bragging rights among many tech founders. They’re building something after all. Worrying about physical well-being and mental health and wearing clothes that aren’t sweatpants can wait until after the big exit, and sometimes not even then. Read more of this post

Three Ways Leaders Can Listen with More Empathy

Three Ways Leaders Can Listen with More Empathy

by Christine M. Riordan  |   11:00 AM January 16, 2014

Study after study has shown that listening is critical to leadership effectiveness. So, why are so few leaders good at it?

Too often, leaders seek to take command, direct conversations, talk too much, or worry about what they will say next in defense or rebuttal.  Additionally, leaders can react quickly, get distracted during a conversation, or fail to make the time to listen to others.  Finally, leaders can be ineffective at listening if they are competitive, if they multitask such as reading emails or text messages, or if they let their egos get in the way of listening to what others have to say. Read more of this post

The story of the man who’s flattening the world of corporate hierarchies

The story of the man who’s flattening the world of corporate hierarchies

By Aimee Groth 7 hours ago

At age six, Brian Robertson taught himself to code. Throughout his childhood, he devoted the equivalent of a full-time job to coding. By age 13, he started a small business teaching programming on an early online network. Read more of this post

One woman’s determination turns Gopeng’s nature trails into a money spinner

Updated: Thursday January 16, 2014 MYT 8:48:26 AM

One woman’s determination turns Gopeng’s nature trails into a money spinner

BY NEVASH NAIR AND JOY LEE

Small-town business: Adeline Kuo’s efforts in running a resort business are helping to draw tourist dollars to the sleepy former mining town o f Gopeng, Perak.

Venturing into uncharted territory has turned out well for Adeline Kuo. Read more of this post

Marina Mahathir: The fine art of Malaysian debate

Updated: Thursday January 16, 2014 MYT 7:00:00 AM

The fine art of Malaysian debate

BY MARINA MAHATHIR

IN light of recent events and with the lack of guidance from up top on how to conduct ourselves in an argument, I thought I would volunteer some tips on How to Win an Argument in Malaysia. Read more of this post

Emotions at work in finance: Workers in the sector should recognise how feelings can influence their decisions

January 15, 2014 3:45 pm

Emotions at work in finance

By Naomi Shragai

Workers in the sector should recognise how feelings can influence their decisions

Rational and objective: that is how business people like to see themselves, believing there is no room for emotion in their decision making. Yet whenever human beings find themselves in the grip of intense feelings, such as greed or fear, it is these, rather than rational thoughts, that influence the choices they make. Read more of this post

Leadership Challenges at Johnson & Johnson

Leadership Challenges at Johnson & Johnson

Jan 09, 2014 Executive Education Podcasts Video North America

Alex Gorsky, a 26-year veteran of Johnson & Johnson, was appointed chairman and CEO of J&J in 2012. The New Brunswick, N.J.-based health care enterprise has close to 130,000 employees, revenues of approximately $70 billion and more than 250 operating companies around the world. Gorsky discusses his leadership style, approach to decision making and common leadership myths during a recent interview with Wharton management professors Michael Useem and Adam Grant. 

An edited transcript of the conversation follows. 

Michael Useem: Alex, welcome. I am going to start with a question about the toughest decision that you have made in the last year or so. Describe that decision: What were the conflicting concerns and then how did you work it through, given the fact that you lead a rather large company? Read more of this post

Suntory is iconic in Japan, and so is the Saji family which controls it. Those who bought shares are showing their trust in the Sajis

BOTTLE BOND

ARTICLE | 13 JANUARY, 2014 05:21 PM | BY JEREMY HAZLEHURST

When family-controlled Japanese drinks business Suntory had its $4bn IPO in July, many analysts felt that the shares were overvalued compared to its peers. But what non-Japanese investors failed to understand is that the price includes a family premium. Suntory is iconic in Japan, and so is the Saji family which controls it. Those who bought shares are showing their trust in the Sajis. But could the nay-sayers be right?

Suntory was founded in 1899 and has long been famous in Japan for its alcoholic drinks. It arguably became even better known when it featured in the film Lost in Translation – it was the maker of the whisky that the hapless Bill Murray character was advertising on his trip to Tokyo. The Yamazaki whiskies have won many awards and are generally considered to be the best made outside Scotland. Read more of this post

19 Hard Things You Need To Do To Be Successful

19 Hard Things You Need To Do To Be Successful

DAN WALDSCHMIDT, EDGY CONVERSATIONS

JAN. 14, 2014, 11:44 AM 48,437 5

You have to do the hard things.

You have to make the call you’re afraid to make.

You have to get up earlier than you want to get up.

You have to give more than get in return right away.

You have to care more about others than they care about you.

You have to fight when you are already injured, bloody, and sore.

You have to feel unsure and insecure when playing if safe seems smarter.

You have to lead when no one else is following you yet.

You have to invest in yourself even though no one else is.

You have to look like a fool while you’re looking for answers you don’t have.

You have to grind out the details when it’s easier to shrug them off.

You have to deliver results when making excuses is an option.

You have to search for your own explanations even when you’re told to accept the “facts.”

You have to make mistakes and look like an idiot.

You have to try and fail and try again.

You have to run faster even though you’re out of breath.

You have to be kind to people who have been cruel to you.

You have to meet deadlines that are unreasonable and deliver results that are unparalleled.

You have to be accountable for your actions even when things go wrong.

You have to keep moving towards where you want to be no matter what’s in front of you.

You have to do the hard things. The things that no one else is doing. The things that scare you. The things that make you wonder how much longer you can hold on.

Those are the things that define you. Those are the things that make the difference between living a life of mediocrity or outrageous success.

The hard things are the easiest things to avoid. To excuse away. To pretend like they don’t apply to you.

The simple truth about how ordinary people accomplish outrageous feats of success is that they do the hard things that smarter, wealthier, more qualified people don’t have the courage — or desperation — to do.

Do the hard things. You might be surprised at how amazing you really are.

What’s Your $1 Billion Idea?

What’s Your $1 Billion Idea?

by Doug Sundheim  |   1:00 PM January 13, 2014

Anyone would be inspired by the story of Nick Woodman, the CEO of GoPro, a $2.5B company that makes wearable HD video cameras.  The highlights:

In the late 1990’s/early 2000’s, Woodman blows $4M of VC money on a failed venture called funBugs.com, an ultimately ill-conceived loyalty, sweepstakes, and entertainment website.  In 2002, unsure of what to do with his life, he takes off to surf in Indonesia and Australia.  He wants to capture live-action shots from his surfboard.  The only cost-effective way to do this is by strapping a disposable camera to his wrist with rubber bands.  Not surprisingly, it doesn’t work well. Read more of this post

The daily rituals of business builders; In my experience, very few successful founders are late risers

January 14, 2014 3:28 pm

The daily rituals of business builders

By Luke Johnson

In my experience, very few successful founders are late risers

We cannot replicate the minds of geniuses: but we can know and perhaps copy their working habits. This is the premise of a fascinating little book called Daily Rituals, by Mason Currey. He examines the schedules of artists, philosophers, writers and composers. But what about entrepreneurs, inventors and tycoons? What are theirdaily rituals? Read more of this post

Employees Who Feel Love Perform Better

Employees Who Feel Love Perform Better

by Sigal Barsade and Olivia (Mandy) O’Neill  |   11:00 AM January 13, 2014

“Love” is a not word you often hear uttered in office hallways or conference rooms. And yet, it has a strong influence on workplace outcomes. The more love co-workers feel at work, the more engaged they are. (Note: Here we’re talking about “companionate love” which is far less intense than romantic love. Companionate love is based on warmth, affection, and connection rather than passion). It may not be surprising that those who perceive greater affection and caring from their colleagues perform better, but few managers focus on building an emotional culture. That’s a mistake. could nothing if Hu did, the CRO

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Entrepreneur pens Chinese business savvy book

Entrepreneur pens Chinese business savvy book
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
By Chen Yingqun, China Daily/Asia News Network

BEIJING–Ambitious Chinese youngsters have long sought to learn from Western economic theories and best practice, so why don’t they tap into wisdom closer to home? Read more of this post

Finding Your Network Advantage; Companies have access to untapped value in their partnership networks, but many miss out on the available opportunities

Finding Your Network Advantage

Jan 13, 2014

Companies have access to untapped value in their partnership networks, but many miss out on the available opportunities

The decline in the fortunes of BlackBerry, the once touted leader in smartphones, could be blamed on many factors; its slow speed to market with new products, its innovation strategy or its niche markets. But one failure that particularly stands out is its lack of a strong alliance network. Read more of this post

Scientists, writers and other deep thinkers ponder a big question: What scientific idea is ready for retirement? (Hint: Watch yourselves, infinity and the universe.)

Over the Side With Old Scientific Tenets

JAN. 14, 2014

Here are some concepts you might consider tossing out with the Christmas wrappings as you get started on the new year: human nature, cause and effect, the theory of everything, free will and evidence-based medicine. Read more of this post

Why leadership-development programs fail; Sidestepping four common mistakes can help companies develop stronger and more capable leaders, save time and money, and boost morale

Why leadership-development programs fail

Sidestepping four common mistakes can help companies develop stronger and more capable leaders, save time and money, and boost morale.

January 2014 | byPierre Gurdjian, Thomas Halbeisen, and Kevin Lane

For years, organizations have lavished time and money on improving the capabilities of managers and on nurturing new leaders. US companies alone spend almost $14 billion annually on leadership development.¹ Colleges and universities offer hundreds of degree courses on leadership, and the cost of customized leadership-development offerings from a top business school can reach $150,000 a person. Read more of this post

Chen Guangbiao’s Business Card Needs to Be Recycled; Chen doesn’t appear to have devoted the same sort of effort to technology systems at his own company

Jan 14, 2014

Chen Guangbiao’s Business Card Needs to Be Recycled

By Wei Gu

Recycling tycoon Chen Guangbiao should rethink his now-famous business card. And, perhaps, he needs to rethink his use of a business card to begin with.

Read more of this post

The Leadership Revival and The Great Revival

The Leadership Revival

JAN. 13, 2014

David Brooks

If you are in politics or public life, you probably had some moment of spine-tingling transcendence. Maybe you read the Declaration of Independence or watched the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s mountaintop sermon, or read Nelson Mandela’s 1964 speech from the dock. Read more of this post