Tag Archive for 'Leadership'

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The New Faces of Social Media

Published on October 25, 2010 in Social Media. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

From YouTube celebrities to chief social-media officers, these unexpected players exert outsize impact and power online — offering new channels of communication that businesses can’t afford to ignore.

For businesses, the definition of influence is less important than its impact. And there is a new, emerging generation of web personalities whose activities are having impact, online and off. FastCompany has taken a snapshot of this universe, highlighting six categories, including YouTube celebrities such as iJustine; chief social-media officers at major corporations; and specialist bloggers in key industries. Few of these new influentials are household names — yet. Unless your home happens to be one of those that are absolutely devoted to them.

From One-time Imitator to Pioneer

Published on September 3, 2010 in Global Strategy. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

Ten years ago, Samsung’s executives poured over numbers and set their 2010 sales goal at $140 billion — four times the amount in 2000. Sales will reach that level this year, according to the median estimate of 21 analysts — right on target. The company is aiming to increase revenue again — this time more than tripling it from 2009 to $400 billion by 2020.

Samsung Electronics has already taken giant steps from its early days as a copycat appliance manufacturer. Now, as a consumer electronics behemoth, it has expanded beyond South Korea and the nation’s industrial, conglomerate-run shipyards, steel mills and auto plants.

“Samsung today is in an incredible position to create the evolution of consumer electronics,” says Shaun Cochran, who heads Korean research at brokerage CLSA Asia-Pacific, which rates Samsung Electronics a “buy.” To be successful, Samsung — a company with a history of top-down managers and obedient employees — will need to shift strategy, a process for which it has few guideposts.

For the one-time imitator to become a pioneer, hitting the numbers will be just the beginning [Source 1] [Source 2].

Apple Hunts for Startups

Published on May 3, 2010 in Global Strategy. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

Apple is accelerating the rate of acquisitions as the company vies with Google for mobile technologies and talent. Since returning to Apple as CEO in 1997, Jobs has made 13 acquisitions, according to Bloomberg data. Of those, five happened in the past seven months alone.

“The pace has really picked up, there seems to be a strategic shift,” said Charlie Wolf, an analyst with Needham & Co. in New York. “It looks like there’s an acquisition frenzy going on between Google and Apple in the sense that there’s an increasing urgency on Apple’s part to stay even if not ahead of Google in the phone space and apps space.”

Patent filings may provide clues to potential targets. Apple recently sought patent protection for mobile purchasing and touch-screen technology. Even with the new attention to M&A, Apple will maintain its strategy of focusing on smaller companies rather than taking on the risks of integrating large ones into Apple’s culture.

With more than $23.1 billion in cash, Apple has plenty of money to keep purchasing small startups. Counting long-term investments that the company can “liquidate in a day,” Apple had $41.7 billion in cash at the end of the last quarter, Broadpoint’s Marshall said, In comparison, Google had about $26.5 billion, he said [Source 1] [Source 2].

Toyota’s Ongoing Troubles

Published on February 9, 2010 in International Business. 0 Comments Tags: , .

You know Japan’s world is upside down when the fabled Toyota Motor Corp. is a global laughingstock. A name once synonymous with quality has fallen so far that Americans are actually rushing out to buy Detroit’s clunkers.

On Tuesday February 9th Toyota said that it would recall over 400,000 Prius and other hybrid vehicles worldwide to address problems with their brakes. On Tuesday February 9th Toyota said that it would recall over 400,000 Prius and other hybrid vehicles worldwide to address problems with their brakes.

Toyota needs to reverse course, and fast. Too bad the “For Dummies” book publishers have yet to add “PR-crisis” to their stable of how-to titles. Toyota needs all the help it can find. As this costly tale unfolds, it’s worthwhile to take stock of some early lessons for corporate Japan. Here are five.

APEC Leaders Call for New Growth Strategies

Published on November 15, 2009 in Emerging Markets. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Singapore APECStimulus spending and other emergency measures have set the stage for global economic recovery, but nations must push ahead with free trade and investment to ensure growth, President Barack Obama and fellow Asia-Pacific leaders said Sunday.

Obama and 20 other leaders, meeting in Singapore for the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, rejected protectionism and agreed to develop long-term strategies that take into account the diverse needs of economies in a region stretching from Chile to China [Source].

John Thain on the Financial Crisis and Beyond

Published on November 6, 2009 in International Finance. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Former Merrill Lynch CEO John Thain offers his opinions as to what caused the crisis, what can be done to prevent it from happening again, and when it will be over — not just for the financial industry but also for Main Street. This lecture consist out of three videos, which include Thain’s remarks to the audience, questions from the three-member panel and, finally, questions from the audience.

Part 1-3 (Thain’s introduction)
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Part 2-3 (Questions from the Panel)
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Part 3-3 (Questions from the audience)
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Apple vs. Google

Published on August 4, 2009 in Global Strategy and High Tech & Media. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

apple_googleOver the past three decades, a few titanic rivalries have defined the technology industry’s mega-trends, ultimately determining which products eventually end up in consumers’ and companies’ hands.

Now, adding to the annals of competition that include Microsoft’s clashes with Apple in the ’80s, IBM in the ’90s, and Google in this decade, the new defining rivalry in tech may be between Google and Apple. Google CEO Eric Schmidt’s resignation from Apple’s board on August 3 highlights the degree to which these companies are more foe than friend. Read more on this here and for an interview with Google’s CEO: Eric Schmidt please click here.

First summit for Emerging Giants

Published on June 16, 2009 in Emerging Markets. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

bric

Leaders of Brazil, Russia, India and China, known collectively as the BRIC countries, will gather for their first official summit in Yekaterinburg, Russia, on Tuesday June 16th.

China and India have continued to grow reasonably quickly despite the global downturn, and although Brazil is in recession many expect it to recover soon. Of the four economies Russia, which is heavily dependent on oil exports, has been the worst affected.

The leaders may discuss long-term plans to find an alternative to the dollar as a global currency. Another possible topic for consideration is trade in commodities: China and India are heavy importers of many commodities such as oil; Russia and Brazil are big exporters of raw materials. [Source FT] [Source BBC]

The Leadership Challenge

Published on June 9, 2009 in Global Strategy and International Business. 0 Comments Tags: .

leadershipThe board of Procter & Gamble is meeting on Tuesday amid intense speculation that it will approve the naming of Robert McDonald, the company’s chief operating officer, as its new chief executive, replacing AG Lafley.

Mr Lafley took over as chief executive of P&G nine years ago this month and has indicated that he was unlikely to want to spend more than a decade at the top of the world’s largest consumer goods company.

His most significant contribution to the company has been spearheading and overseeing its $57bn merger with Gillette in 2005 and the subsequent smooth integration of the two giant companies. In addition to reorganising the company into global business units, he promoted a culture of greater openess at a company that previously relied almost exclusively on in-house innovation.

He also oversaw the creation of enhanced product design and development units, again bringing in outside talent at senior management levels. P&G’s overall business has been relatively resilient during the current global recession.

The question is whether McDonald, if he takes over as P&G’s chief for the next decade, can replicate Lafley’s success. [Source]

European Election 2009

Published on June 8, 2009 in Personal. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

european_election_2009

A backgrounder can be found here.