It’s a funny old game
October 1, 2015
Football’s elevation to the status of universal language never ceases to amaze. The beautiful game is nowadays a conversation-starter nonpareil almost anywhere in the world. Consider the experience of a friend who recently visited a Buddhist temple in Thailand. Keen to engage in a vaguely spiritual discussion, he asked a monk about the former abbots …
Understanding risk and responsibility
September 15, 2015
When things go wrong, more often than not, we look to blame individuals. Someone has to carry the can. The buck has to stop somewhere. Rarely is culpability ascribed on a collective, organisational or institutional level. But what if the problem is one of culture? What if individuals “fit in” with what they believe will …
Common innovation and the harmonious society
September 3, 2015
The Confucian idea of the harmonious society is one of the great principles of economic thought. It is hardly necessary for a British economist to point out as much to the readers of China Daily. Yet whether the concept is consistent with innovation, that essential engine of growth, is an increasingly significant question for any …
Strategy briefing – Strategic Alliances: A Panacea?
August 25, 2015
Recently there has been substantial growth in the number of strategic alliances. They are seen by management as a way of sharing risk and acquiring resources and capabilities. We will focus on equity based alliances in this article; more commonly referred to as Joint Ventures (JV’s) The EE example In 2010 Deutsche Telecom and France’s …
Malaysia on my mind
July 30, 2015
Nottingham MBA students enjoy a global experience studying with people from all over the world and having the opportunity to participate in a number of international business study tours. Study tours include California’s Silicon Valley (with a focus on technology start-ups and equity investment), China (a week-long business and cultural tour to China taking advantage of Nottingham’s unique …
The Blog
July 20, 2015
Nottingham MBA students enjoy a global experience studying with people from all over the world and having the opportunity to participate in a number of international business study tours. Study tours include California’s Silicon Valley (with a focus on technology start-ups and equity investment), China (a week-long business and cultural tour to China taking advantage of Nottingham’s unique …
Nirvana
July 10, 2015
Nottingham MBA students enjoy a global experience studying with people from all over the world and having the opportunity to participate in a number of international business study tours. Study tours include California’s Silicon Valley (with a focus on technology start-ups and equity investment), China (a week-long business and cultural tour to China taking advantage of Nottingham’s unique …
Strategy briefing – Advisors: Value Adding or Expensive Self Interest?
June 10, 2015
When Fred Goodwin spent £71bn of Royal Bank of Scotland’s money on ABN-AMRO in 2007 this was quite possibly the worst acquisition ever made. Although many would argue that the competition is particularly high in this respect! The acquisition effectively bust the bank, requiring the British Government to rescue it. Before doing the deal, Fred …
Strategy briefing – Transient or Turbulent: Does it Really Matter?
May 27, 2015
The life span and volatility of a particular industry will provide some clues as to the strategic approach which may be appropriate for competing businesses. This article considers transient and turbulent industries and the extent and circumstances of financially engineered risk which a business should carry. I also relate my own recent strategic experience of …
