Tag: trends

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We’ve got it wrong … we’re looking at business the wrong way

Company lifecycles? WRONG way to think… here’s something better….

“Companies don’t pass through life cycles, opportunities do.” (from Donald Sull, The Upside of Turbulence,)

The most critical business leadership capability is the ability to discover and then capitalize on the changing opportunities that market turbulence creates. 

It’s the Opportunity that has the lifecycle… Discovery,  Start Up, Scale, Mature, and Decline.  Then Leaders must assess the lifetime and value of the opportunities on offer.… Read more

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The demise of productivity led growth

When I was younger, growth was easy to achieve. We had a number of tail winds that helped the economy grow as a matter of course. We didn’t need to do much, just stay in business and the economy grew around us.

Now… not so much.

The tail-winds which aided us in the past have turned into headwinds.  How so?

Here are five critical reasons why productivity growth continues to be lacklustre despite all the benefits we reap every day from the digital revolution:

1.… Read more

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Early warning? Hanjin collapse

Whilst this may seem tangential to Acumen, the background and implications are troublesome.

A robust economy would not thriw up such challenges. The flow on effects through the supply chain are widespread. And the refusal of the Korean Government to assist is a major policy change.

Hanjin Shipping Co Ltd’s banks are halting support for the South Korean company, its lead creditor said, making it likely South Korea’s largest shipper (and the worlds 7th largest)  is headed for bankruptcy as it is dragged down by a deep global industry downturn.… Read more

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What’s the Media’s future?

While this is a US chart, it certainly seems to mirror my personal experience…

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Traveling by MRT or Bus all I see is people staring into their mobiles. At breakfast or lunch- staring into mobiles, on the bus or MRT home staring into their mobiles, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore- all on mobiles- obviously a biased sample, but increasingly mobile communications- facilitated by large screen phones- is the default mode in Asia.… Read more

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What’s “Secular Stagnation”?

With the start of a new year upon us, its time to look forward to what we have in store in 2015. What are your thoughts? Doom and gloom or a bright new dawn?

Mine are, more of the same, we’ll be struggling through for a couple more years… generally I believe there will be a modest increase in the business environment driven by a more positive view out of the USA, dragging Asia into growth.… Read more