What now, board members?
The saying “recessions reveal what auditors did not” also holds true for corporate governance.
Mastering management: managing in a downturn
Resources
Navigating through turbulent times is never easy. The instinctive reaction is to hunker down until things get better. But retreating into a shell is not always the right decision. This series brings together leading business thinkers to consider the big questions confronting managers.
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New thinking on how to do business
Recession will prompt radical changes in the rules and roles of sectors. How companies respond will determine their future, writes Michael G. Jacobides
Why sustainability is still going strong
While philanthropic giving will suffer during the downturn, companies will find that sustainability remains a key component of long-term strategy, write Daniel Vermeer and Robert Clemen
Time to bring real shareholders back on board
Failures at big financial institutions underline the need for strong corporate boards with industry expertise that challenge a company’s top executives, writes Paul Strebel
New models for the future
Social entrepreneurs show how companies can turn profits while improving conditions in poor countries, writes Christian Seelos
Sovereign wealth revalued
In spite of claims that they pursue political agendas, sovereign wealth funds usually add long-term value, write Nuno Fernandes and Arturo Bris
China and India take on the multinationals
Western multinationals have established themselves in both countries but could their dominance be under threat from ambitious home-grown challengers, ask Pankaj Ghemawat and Thomas M. Hout
Related content and features
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The challenges facing leadership
It is hard to dispute that we are living through the worst economic crisis since 1929
Personalising risk management
Why is it that very smart executives can sometimes make extraordinarily poor risk decisions? In the past 18 months, this question has gained extra importance.
Part three: looking beyond the crisis
Keeping a keen eye on consumer behaviour
Marketers must respond to the radical change in consumers’ priorities but also ready themselves for recovery
Sure ways to tackle uncertainty in tough times
Company leaders must display behaviour that restores trust among stakeholders
Does your M&A add value?
With deal activity slowing to a crawl, managers must look beyond indicators and focus on delivering shareholder value
Play fair with workers to reap rich rewards
Tough decisions are inevitable, but they can clarify company identity
The big freeze
Capital markets are not perfect, but just how severe are these imperfections?
Tasting the fruits of effective innovation
Judicious cutting of R&D projects can free up funds for more deserving projects
Plugging in to transformation
Maintaining IT investment is even more vital for survival than it was in past downturns
The time is ripe for fresh ideas
Recessions are a chance for companies to abandon outdated management practices
Marketing strategies for fast-moving consumer goods
Faced with a need to save money, shoppers turn to store brands and may stick with them when the economy improves
Marketing during economic downturns
In difficult times, increasing rather than reducing the marketing budget may be a better strategy
Part two: Getting through the crisis
Fortune favours the well-prepared
Managing risk means being able and ready to adapt
How to talk your way through a downturn
It is imperative to send out the right message to internal and external stakeholders
Getting staff on your side
During a downturn, listening to employees and setting realistic goals helps to maintain trust and dedication, writes Michael Gibbs
Death of the decoupling myth
In this era of globalisation, with almost all countries integrated into the global economy, the decoupling myth is dead
Optimists have a bright future
Leaders who see opportunity and maintain integrity will win out
Rethinking links in the global supply chain
New methods of partnering for product development can help companies profit
Looking long term on the passage to ‘Chindia’
How companies can leverage operations in China and India during the downturn
Why business media failed to see the crisis coming
It is easy to identify the culprits in the aftermath of a crash, the more intriguing question is why hardly anyone saw it coming
Part one: Surveying the damage
Stand and deliver
With many managers facing their first downturn new business thinking offers useful guidance
Keeping the global economy afloat
History shows that prompt and aggressive policy decisions and bold restructuring help avoid a lengthy malaise
Lessons from the 1997 Asian economic crisis
There is a tendency by some to think that things have never been so bad, but in 1997 the Asian economic crisis severely damaged real output and was a major shock to companies operating in south-east and east Asia.
Seizing the upside of a downturn
Managers who see economic strife only as a threat are missing out on an ideal opportunity
Managing fluctuations
How is this recession different from past downturns and what does this mean for companies?
Scandinavia: Failed banks, state control and a rapid recovery
Sweden and Norway made financial crisis a very public affair
Japan: Hubris, denial and the loss of confidence
Financial collapse dealt Japan a shock from which it has yet to fully recover
