Wondering how to quit your job? Don’t follow Charlo Greene’s example September 29, 2014 Prepare a transition plan – overly acrimonious exits don’t serve anybody’s needs. Alaskan TV news presenter Charlo Greene made a splash in the media world last week, after swearing live on air and announcing that she’d be leaving her job: “And as for this job, well, not that I have a choice but, f *** [...]
Dave Lewis might be tempted to dodge crisis at Tesco, but he’d do better facing up to the truth September 28, 2014 Dave Lewis found himself face to face with some wicked problems last week. Tesco’s new chief executive had only been in the job for a matter of days when he was confronted with an accounting scandal, dire growth forecasts, unhappy investors and irate politicians. The kind of wicked problems Lewis faces are common in business. [...]
International exposure is key to the MBA experience September 25, 2014 But studying at a foreign business school isn’t the only way to get it GLOBALISATION has turned many corners of the world upside down, but few more so than business education. When the Tuck School of Business was founded in 1900, a tiny faculty taught an initial cohort of just four US students. Today, at [...]
Customers will inspire your staff better than you September 25, 2014 Kevin Murray explains how really savvy leaders succeed in outsourcing inspiration. Putting the customer first means ensuring that you bring customers into your firm and make how they feel a driving force behind employee behaviour. Why? Seeing how other people feel changes the way you feel. Employees are often much more motivated by hearing [...]
Four ways to get rid of fatigue at your workplace September 24, 2014 Yoga, sunlight and lots of small, fibre-filled meals could help. Few things kill office productivity as quickly as fatigue. And while the obvious answer is to get more sleep throughout the week, that isn’t always the most helpful advice for overworked City folk barely able to fit work drinks in between all-nighters at the [...]
France at risk of recession with Europe lagging September 23, 2014 The Eurozone is on the brink of another economic dip and France may have fallen into recession, influential survey data showed yesterday. Markit’s purchasing managers’ index (PMI) fell to 52.3 for the Eurozone in September – a new low for 2014. A score of above 50 signifies growth, however, the index has been falling since [...]
The Eurozone optimists are playing a dangerous game – Investment Comment September 23, 2014 Despite a continuing stream of woeful economic data from the Eurozone, a number of investors and fund managers have become more sanguine about the currency bloc in recent months. Writing in these pages in August, JP Morgan’s Blake Crawford argued that a combination of economic revival, continued low interest rates and supportive monetary policy should [...]
Four of the best business books released in 2014 September 23, 2014 From the digital economy to Richard Branson, Liam Ward-Proud lists this year’s top reads. It's been a bumper year so far for business reads, with releases from the likes of Virgin founder Richard Branson, as well as several books tracing crucial trends in the fast-changing global economy. With judging panels due to start drawing [...]
Aches and pains? Why your desk may be to blame September 23, 2014 If you are on your way into the office for another day at your desk, spare a thought for your bones, muscles and joints. Our bodies are designed to move, so lengthy periods spent sitting at your desk can lead to problems above and beyond the odd ache. We asked Dr Pippa Bennett, the lead [...]
Why the tide is against the iron ore mining giants – CNBC Comment September 22, 2014 Mining firms have put on a brave face over the past 18 months. I warned last year that the super-cycle had popped, despite the largesse still being exhibited by the industry in the mining hub of Perth. Since then, billions of dollars have been extracted from cost savings, economies of scale are being wielded to [...]