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The transcultural leader: Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Renault, Nissan

Mon, 2 Jun 2008 15:52:26 +0800

"I think one of the basics of transcultural leadership is empathy," says Carlos Ghosn, the man who is credited with turning around major Japanese car maker Nissan.

CEO view: Ben Verwaayen of BT

Mon, 2 Jun 2008 15:51:45 +0800

Sustainability is becoming an increasingly hot topic in business circles, but when it comes to grasping the sense of urgency surrounding the issue, many of the current generation of business leaders aren’t very good at ‘getting it’. That’s according to the outgoing CEO of BT plc, Ben Verwaayen.

Meeting the sustainability challenge: HCL Technologies

Mon, 2 Jun 2008 15:51:08 +0800

Corporate India is just as committed as Europe and the United States to sustainability, asserts Vineet Nayar, CEO of HCL Technologies Ltd.

Sustainability: a business opportunity

Mon, 2 Jun 2008 15:48:26 +0800

By the year 2040, only 15 per cent of the world’s population will be living in what are now called developed countries. It’s therefore essential for today’s business planners to start focusing on the rest of the planet. Fortunately a strategy centred on emerging markets can be both financially profitable and socially responsible, says Barbara Kux of the Dutch multinational Royal Philips Electronics.

The Nigerian Paradox : Is it fading away?

Mon, 2 Jun 2008 15:44:53 +0800

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) referred in 2007 to the Nigerian Paradox: catastrophic poverty in a country brimming with natural and human resources.

Targetting Africa: The case for investment

Mon, 2 Jun 2008 15:43:56 +0800

Africa is so diverse, with its variety of countries and resources, that almost any type of business in the world could take advantage of the continent’s economic growth. That was the view of panellists at the INSEAD Leadership Summit 2008.

More expensive medication may be more potent

Mon, 2 Jun 2008 15:43:08 +0800

"Marketing variables not only influence people’s perceptions and expectations, they actually influence the real efficacy of products such as medications." This is according to Ziv Carmon, INSEAD Professor of Marketing, who, along with Rebecca Waber and Dan Ariely from MIT and Baba Shiv from Stanford, tested the effect of price on the efficacy of a medication by administering electric shocks to those taking part in the study to test their resistance to pain.

Mergers and acquisitions: Reducing the private firm discount

Mon, 2 Jun 2008 15:42:23 +0800

Owners of private companies normally sell their shares at a 20-30 per cent discount during mergers and acquisitions. The ‘private firm discount’ is one reason the stock market reacts more favorably when companies announce a private acquisition than when the target is a publicly-listed firm.

Women and Money

Mon, 2 Jun 2008 15:39:22 +0800

Are men or women better at investing?

"This is not only a fun question but it is of great practical value," says INSEAD Assistant Professor of Finance Lily Fang, who hosted a Women and Money forum at INSEAD recently.

The brand is the business

Mon, 2 Jun 2008 15:38:06 +0800

"Today more than half of the total stock market value of corporations lies in intangible assets such as brands ... The brand is the business." This statement by Shelly Lazarus, chairman and CEO of Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide at the World Effie Festival 2008, sums up why brand building is important for companies. In this climate of the brand imperative, advertising gurus converged on Singapore for the conference which celebrates advertising effectiveness.

On the Branding Edge

Mon, 2 Jun 2008 15:36:34 +0800

Branding expert Ken Cato is the man that some major companies turn to for help with overhauling their branding. His clients include Taiwan’s BenQ, Germany’s Siemens, Australia’s Commonwealth Bank and most recently, Dubai World Central, the world’s largest planned airport. He believes that building iconic brands require companies to dare to be different and have a clear idea of their corporate identity.

Total: A difficult balancing act

Mon, 2 Jun 2008 15:34:58 +0800

Energy companies are being asked to meet growing world energy demand, but at the same time, theyre expected to cut carbon dioxide emissions. World energy demand is growing at 1.5 per cent a year. Meanwhile, negotiations are underway under the auspices of the United Nations Framework for Climate Change to broker consensus for curbing greenhouse gas emissions. Its something of a conundrum.

Rhodia CEO Clamadieu favours modified auction scheme

Mon, 2 Jun 2008 15:34:19 +0800

As the EU looks to the post-2012 horizon for regulating emissions of greenhouse gases, Rhodia CEO Jean-Pierre Clamadieu has expressed interest in ways of implementing an auction of emission rights, which since 2005 have been issued cost-free based on past emission levels and then traded. He calls for a sector analysis to identify which industries are most energy-intensive and could thus be hardest-hit by a new auction system.

KLM: Aviation has to become 'more sustainable'

Mon, 2 Jun 2008 15:33:37 +0800

Airlines cannot shirk the responsibility that comes with being major producers of polluting greenhouse gases and must aggressively pursue policies to minimise their environmental damage. Thats the view of Jan Ernst de Groot, managing director of the Dutch company KLM Airlines, which by its own estimate gives off some 10 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year from its fleet of 194 aircraft.

Ericsson: Aiming to help reduce emissions while 'not shying' away from its own responsibilities

Mon, 2 Jun 2008 15:32:46 +0800

The telecoms sector isnt regarded as a major polluter, but that isnt stopping firms in that industry from doing what they can to help tackle climate change.

Arcelor Mittal: Lightening up heavy industry

Mon, 2 Jun 2008 15:32:03 +0800

Steel is one of the industrial sectors under intense pressure to cut greenhouse gas emissions. By its very nature, producing steel consumes a lot of energy, which in turn produces a lot of carbon dioxide. But its not as bleak as all that: the steel industry has been trying for decades to find ways to cut CO2 emissions, says Michel Wurth, a member of the management board of ArcelorMittal, the worlds largest steel maker.

Alstom: Clean power needed to reduce CO2 emissions

Mon, 2 Jun 2008 15:31:17 +0800

Mankind will keep using fossil fuels to generate electricity for many decades to come, and will need all the help it can get to curb emissions of carbon dioxide, or CO2, that go with burning fossil fuels. Thats according to Alstom, a leading manufacturer of power turbines and a company which sells equipment to make coal power stations cleaner and more efficient. It is also developing techniques to capture and store CO2.

Shell CEO van der Veer: Carbon dioxide regulation necessary to make the markets work

Mon, 2 Jun 2008 15:30:39 +0800

If governments do not intervene, industries will meet the growing demands for energy in the cheapest way possible, and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions will increase. That puts Jeroen van der Veer, CEO of Royal Dutch Shell plc, one of the worlds leading petroleum companies, in an odd position: a leading capitalist campaigning for more government regulation.

Microsoft's Courtois: Using technology to tackle climate change

Mon, 2 Jun 2008 15:29:53 +0800

Tackling climate change for Europe is an incredible opportunity to innovate and compete with the rest of the world. Thats the view of Microsoft International President Jean-Philippe Courtois, speaking at the recent European Business Summit in Brussels, which was devoted to climate change.

Creating a climate for change

Mon, 2 Jun 2008 15:29:00 +0800

A new INSEAD-European Business Summit report on climate change has highlighted a surge in green activities by US entrepreneurs, backed by venture capital. Until 2005, the amount of VC funds invested in clean technologies such as solar and wind power had been running almost neck and neck in the US and Europe. But then there was a sudden surge of VC interest in the US in 2005, the report says, which resulted in US firms raising $4.5 billion in VC funds to invest in clean technology the following year, while the EU raised $1.5 billion.

Intel's Barrett: US needs to improve innovation capacity to maintain lead

Mon, 2 Jun 2008 15:24:42 +0800

The United States will need to improve its capacity to innovate if it wants to maintain its economic position in the world, says Craig Barrett, Chairman of Intel Corporation. Furthermore, government must make R&D more of a priority, as should private industry.

The Experience Trap

Tue, 4 Mar 2008 11:22:39 +0800

When companies look for a manager, they should look for experience, right? Well, maybe not. INSEAD professors Kishore Sengupta and Luk Van Wassenhove say their research has revealed what they call the 'experience trap.'

Counting the cost

Tue, 4 Mar 2008 11:21:50 +0800

The Société Générale case, in which a rogue trader ran up losses of around five billion euros, underscores the inadequacy of internal controls within banks, suggesting that central bank regulators should perhaps play a more active role in controlling the trading books of large banking institutions. However, INSEAD Professor of Banking and Finance Jean Dermine argues that relying on central banks alone is not the best solution and "pressure should be exercised on financial institutions to do a better job themselves."

Winning with value

Tue, 4 Mar 2008 11:20:43 +0800

In the study called 'Recognising the True Value of Software Assets', INSEAD Professor Soumitra Dutta argues that this key existing asset represents 'enormous hidden value for the firm.' But for organisations to switch their attention to value rather than focus on cost will require a shift in mindset, he says.

The value creation imperative

Tue, 4 Mar 2008 11:19:51 +0800

It's been just over 400 years since a Dutch company became the first organisation to sell shares and became publicly traded. By 2007, more than one billion people owned a stake in the world's companies worth more than $75 trillion.

Kevin Kaiser, INSEAD Affiliate Professor of Finance, says that's a dramatic change from the days when monarchs and dictators owned everything and used their country's resources for their good alone. Now, we own the companies as shareholders and Kaiser says that has a number of consequences.

Fast Strategy: Staying ahead of the game

Tue, 4 Mar 2008 11:19:09 +0800

How can you make sure your company not only keeps its edge over its competitors, but also seizes new opportunities? In a new book called Fast Strategy: How strategic agility will help you stay ahead of the game, INSEAD professor Yves Doz and co-author Mikko Kosonen, a former senior Nokia executive, say the best way to do this is by making the most of what they call ‘strategic agility’.

A world in crisis?

Tue, 4 Mar 2008 11:17:44 +0800

Ilian Mihov, INSEAD Professor of Economics, says the Fed's move -cutting interest rates by 75 points- was necessary to bring stability to the markets. "When the financial sector goes down, it starts spiralling in such a way that it's very difficult to restore confidence and bring back the economy on track."

Relationship building: A key driver for securing repeat business

Tue, 4 Mar 2008 11:08:54 +0800

Tom D’Aunno, INSEAD Professor of Organisational Behaviour, discusses the importance of relationship building and other findings from his study of Celerant Consulting.

Al Jazeera: Turning up the heat

Tue, 4 Mar 2008 11:07:55 +0800

After celebrating its first year on air, the English service of Qatar-based TV station Al Jazeera - memorably denounced by former US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld as ‘terror TV’ - is aiming to turn up the heat on its rivals in the global 24-hour news broadcasting industry.

Putting Leaders on the Couch

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:11:50 +0800

Manfred Kets de Vries, Clinical Professor of Leadership Development, takes a psychoanalytic approach to examine effective and humane leadership in a knowledge society.

Environmental degradation: Counting the cost of rapid economic growth

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 14:55:22 +0800

Yong Wang of Environmental Resources Management, China; Lee Yuen Hee of the National Environment Agency, Singapore; K. P. Nyati of the Environment Management Division, Confederation of Indian Industry; and Loh Wai Kiew of Shell Marine Products, discuss Asia's environmental challenges.

Building global brands in Asia

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 14:53:00 +0800

Rajesh Hukku, chairman of i-flex solutions, and Martin Roll, CEO of VentureRepublic and author of Asian Brands Strategy, discuss the challenges of building global brands in Asia.

Randel Carlock on family business from a psychological perspective

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 10:00:50 +0800

In August, the Bancroft family gave up control of Dow Jones, the publishing group it had owned for some 105 years.

According to Randel Carlock, the Berghmans Lhoist Chaired Professor in Entrepreneurial Leadership and Director of the Wendel International Centre for Family Enterprise at INSEAD, the Bancrofts had a clear idea of the values they wanted associated with the Wall Street Journal brand - a strong sense of editorial integrity and independence. However, they had been unable to steward the Wall Street Journal into the 21st century as other competitors passed them by and Dow Jones’ stock price fell sharply.

Frank Brown on global business leadership

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 10:09:34 +0800

Leadership has nothing to do with titles. J. Frank Brown, the Dean of INSEAD, has met a lot of CEOs in his two-and-a-half decades in business and many of them are nothing more than LINOs - Leaders In Name Only. "A lot of people talk about leadership and not that many actually do it,"

Robyn Pratt on Starwood's implementation of Blue Ocean Strategy

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 09:57:20 +0800

One group which has been exploring blue ocean thinking for the past three years is Starwood Hotels and Resorts. As Starwood Vice President Robyn Pratt puts it, it’s more a question of finding ‘blue puddles, lakes or rivers’ at this stage rather than ‘blue oceans’ as such.

Brendan May on social responsibility and greater access to capital

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 09:44:20 +0800

Brendan May, International Head of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability at PR firm Weber Shandwick Worldwide, says that practising social responsibility can give companies improved access to capital.

Yves Doz on the new deal at the top

Mon, 1 Oct 2007 12:58:33 +0800

Yves Doz, Timken chair in Global Technology and Innovation at INSEAD and Professor of Business Policy, says that "most companies have key managers reporting directly to the CEO on a one-to-one basis, with responsibility for their units or regions." The result is that "the businesses or regions tend to behave in an autonomous fashion similar to the way a baron would manage his fiefdom."

Günter Stahl on Talent Management: Building and sustaining a strong talent pipeline

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 10:52:54 +0800

Günter Stahl, INSEAD Associate Professor of Organisational Behaviour, says that best practices only work in a given context, "so what works for one company may not work for another."

Ilian Mihov on the credit crunch

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 13:38:48 +0800

Ilian Mihov, INSEAD professor of economics, thinks the Fed has been prudent and that making a more drastic cut in rates now could cause bigger economic problems.

CEO View: John Mullen of DHL

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 10:51:39 +0800

The credit crunch is a cause of concern for DHL CEO John Mullen. He says he’s concerned about the current uncertainty in the US economy, and the possibility that the US market could go into recession.

Henrik Bresman on X-teams

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 12:37:46 +0800

INSEAD Assistant Professor Henrik Bresman says good teams can often fail when it comes to innovation -- not because of a lack of talent or that they can’t work together, but because they don’t take into account external stakeholders and conditions.

Klaus Wertenbroch on the money illusion

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 12:32:03 +0800

INSEAD Associate Professor of Marketing Klaus Wertenbroch takes a fresh look at what economists call ‘the money illusion’, whereby a consumer’s perception of the value of money is influenced by the nominal value of the currency.

CEO view: Tony Fernandes of AirAsia

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 12:29:48 +0800

Tony Fernandes, CEO of AirAsia, talks about the budget airline's strategy and its plans for the future.

Reining in the biggest game in town

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 12:22:06 +0800

Joe Rice, one of the founders of Clayton, Dubilier and Rice (CD&R), speaks about the increasing scrutiny private equity firms are coming under from legislators in the US and UK.

Leadership Summit 2007: Aon Corp CEO Greg Case

Sat, 14 Jul 2007 18:13:38 +0800

In an opening keynote address at INSEAD’s Leadership Summit 2007, Greg Case, the CEO of Aon Corporation, spoke about global risk management and about the relevance of Europe for his company.

Europe as a power: Financial and economic challenges ahead

Sat, 14 Jul 2007 18:11:37 +0800

There has been so much ‘hype’ about the rise of the BRIC countries – Brazil, Russia, India and China – as the new economic powerhouses of this century, that many are wondering about the relevance of Europe as an economic power.

The energy ‘battlefield’ in Europe

Sat, 14 Jul 2007 18:07:53 +0800

Wall Street Journal editor Michael Williams and Kris Sliger of Anglo-Russian energy venture TNK-BP talk about the energy issues faced by Europe.

Kick-starting growth in Europe in the face of global competition

Sat, 14 Jul 2007 18:05:18 +0800

With European growth lagging behind that of Asia, the issue of how Europe can kick-start its economy came under the spotlight at the INSEAD Leadership Summit.

Peter Williamson on Chinese cost innovation

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 19:25:34 +0800

Peter Williamson, Affiliate Professor of Asian Business and International Management, says Chinese companies are tapping niche markets and customising products with ‘everyday low prices on steroids.’

Morten Hansen on the innovation value chain

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 19:21:42 +0800

Morten Hansen, Professor of Entrepreneurship, says companies often fail because they don’t recognise that innovation is a chain that requires strength at every link to succeed.

Jake Cohen on the opportunities in Germany for Asian investors

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 14:15:37 +0800

Jake Cohen, Affiliate Professor of Accounting and Control and Business Law says M&A activity in Germany has opened up opportunities for Asian investors to buy up distressed companies and become part of ‘Germany Inc’.

Anil Gaba on risk management

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 19:13:02 +0800

Anil Gaba, Dean of Faculty and Professor of Decision Sciences, says if you’re looking to forecast risk, you’d do well to keep it simple.

Hellmut Schütte on Asia 10 years after the financial crisis

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 19:10:10 +0800

Hellmut Schütte, Senior Affiliate Professor of International Management, believes Asia is still feeling the effects of the 1997-98 crisis to some extent, particularly in the financial services sector in South-east Asia.

Bob Herbold on the dangers of success for businesses

Sun, 27 May 2007 03:00:00 +0800

Bob Herbold, INSEAD senior executive in residence and former Microsoft COO, looks at the traps successful businesses need to watch out for.

Pierre Chandon on how behaviour prediction can help reinforce or break habits

Sat, 26 May 2007 03:00:00 +0800

Pierre Chandon, Assistant Professor of Marketing looks at how self-prediction can help reinforce or break habits.

Gabriel Szulanski on the need for templates to pass on best practices

Fri, 25 May 2007 03:00:00 +0800

Gabriel Szulanski, Professor of Strategy, on the need for templates or benchmarks to transfer on best practices, at least initially.

Paddy Padmanabhan on the Indian retail sector

Thu, 24 May 2007 03:00:00 +0800

Paddy Padmanabhan, Professor of Marketing, says India is a unique market and foreign players will face a number of challenges.

Mahboob Mahmood on microfinance and poverty alleviation

Wed, 23 May 2007 03:00:00 +0800

Mahboob Mahmood, Adjunct Professor, highlights the poverty alleviation work of microfinance organisations such as the Kashf Foundation of Pakistan.

Soumitra Dutta on global information technology rankings

Wed, 9 May 2007 03:00:00 +0800

Soumitra Dutta, Professor of Information Systems, discusses the rankings in this year's Global Information Technology Report.

Horacio Falcao on closing the deal in negotiations

Tue, 8 May 2007 18:44:13 +0800

Horacio Falcao, Affiliate Professor of Decision Sciences, says closing a deal can be ‘extremely hard’, because it’s the conclusion of the whole negotiating process.

Stewart Black on the employee value proposition

Sat, 5 May 2007 03:00:00 +0800

Stewart Black, Affiliate Professor of Organisational Behaviour, says companies have to work harder to be an employer of choice.

Quy Huy on using symbols to attract funding, resources

Fri, 4 May 2007 03:00:00 +0800

Quy Huy, Associate Professor of Strategy, talks about the symbols entrepreneurs use to attract resources and funding.

Steven White on windows of opportunity in China

Thu, 3 May 2007 03:00:00 +0800

Steven White, Assistant Professor of Asian Business, examines the battles between local and foreign firms for market share in China.

Michael Witt on Japanese business reforms

Wed, 2 May 2007 03:00:00 +0800

Michael A. Witt, Affiliate Professor of Asian Business, examines the slow pace of reform in the Japanese business system.

Patrick Turner on entrepreneurship in India and China

Wed, 11 Apr 2007 18:44:13 +0800

Patrick Turner, Affiliate Professor of Entrepreneurship and Family Enterprise, examines the development of entrepreneurship in India and China.

Herminia Ibarra on business networks

Tue, 10 Apr 2007 18:44:13 +0800

Herminia Ibarra, Professor of Organisational Behaviour, talks about the power of business networking.

Soumitra Dutta on tech innovation in the Middle East

Sat, 7 Apr 2007 18:44:13 +0800

Soumitra Dutta, Professor of Information Systems, looks at the emerging tech players in the Middle East.

Amitava Chattopadhyay on word-of-mouth marketing

Fri, 6 Apr 2007 18:44:13 +0800

Amitava Chattopadhyay, Professor of Marketing, looks at the importance of creating buzz for new products.

Liz Demers on IPO failure risk

Thu, 5 Apr 2007 18:44:13 +0800

Liz Demers, Assistant Professor of Accounting and Control, examines the failure rate for newly-listed companies.