FATHER CHRISTMAS and the global container-shipping industry have similar objectives, though the timescales differ. Santa’s world-spanning logistics operation aims to deliver presents all in one night. Shipping firms step theirs up around September to ensure that gifts and other seasonal goods join a vast global supply chain. But a system that usually operates unnoticed (and…
Business
ASKED WHAT labour wanted, Samuel Gompers, founding president of the American Federation of Labour in the late 1800s, is often quoted as responding: “more”. His actual answer was surprisingly lyrical. “More schoolhouses and less jails…more learning and less vice…more leisure and less greed…more of the opportunities to cultivate our better natures.” His ability to tie…
As more employees demand remote opportunities, the job market will be flooded with partially or fully remote roles. However, some of these companies will be offering opportunities that are less rewarding than they seem — and may result in buyer’s remorse. Candidates must do their due diligence and ask the right questions to determine if…
To date, organizations across the world have followed the American lead when it comes to DEI. They’ve benefited from the extensive research, data, literature, role models, best practices, narratives, and success stories and have been inspired to address inequality in their own workplaces. But for global organizations aspiring to be inclusive of diverse talent across…
Customers’ “emotional data” can be hacked, and no one is checking if the apps workWHEN CAROLINA ESCUDERO was severely depressed, going to a therapist’s office became hard to face. So she joined BetterHelp, a popular therapy app. She paid $65 each week but spent most of her time waiting for her assigned counsellor to respond.…
Come to ChinaINVESTORS ARE still speculating about exactly what Didi Global, a ride-hailing giant, did to draw the ire of Chinese regulators. Some say it foolishly pushed forward with its $4.4bn initial public offering (IPO) in New York despite being told by officials to delay the listing. Others suggest it stole the thunder from leaders…
The trial of Elizabeth Holmes contains lessons for decision-makers of all kindsEARLY ON IN “The Inventor”, a documentary about Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of Theranos, she talks about her childhood-reading habits and her interest in what makes a great leader. “So much changes in our society technologically but as humans we don’t change a lot,”…
CAR-BUYERS are getting behind the wheel of an electric vehicle (EV) in ever greater numbers. As battery costs tumble, prices are falling. Compared with internal combustion engine (ICE) cars, which can be a pain to drive and service, electric cars are a thrillseeking motorist’s dream. But the shift to EVs is about more than driving…
THE OFFICE used to be a place people went because they had to. Meetings happened in conference rooms and in person. Desks took up the bulk of the space. The kingdom of Dilbert and of David Brent is now under threat. The pandemic has exposed the office to competition from remote working, and brought up…
More women are climbing the corporate ladder. But more are also dropping off itWOMEN IN BUSINESS have broken three records of late. The number of female bosses at the helm of Fortune 500 companies in America is at an all-time high of 41. In 2021 CVS Health, the country’s fourth-biggest firm by revenue, became the…