How Managers Should Approach The Fragile Economy. For the immediate future, business leaders will have to master the disciplines of uncertainty.
The Crisis: Timing Strategic Moves. Timing is key as companies weigh whether to make strategic investments now or wait for clear signs of recovery. Scenario analysis can expose the risks of moving too quickly or slowly.
Helping US Consumers Rethink Retirement. The economic crisis has left US consumers anxious and less prepared than ever for retirement, yet few are changing course.
What Next? Ten Questions for CFOs. As companies shift their attention from fighting the crisis to getting the most from the recovery, CFOs must keep them focused.
The New Normal. The business landscape has changed fundamentally; tomorrow’s environment will be different, but no less rich in possibilities for those who are prepared.
How Health Care Costs Contribute to Income Disparity in the United States. Recent trends in health care costs, health care coverage, and household income have contributed to growing disparities between different income groups in the United States.
A Better Way to Fix the Banks. Here’s a plan that could solve the toxic-asset pricing problem voluntarily -- without requiring Uncle Sam to nationalize the whole industry -- and make (pretty much) everyone a winner.
Opening Up to Investors. Executives need to embrace transparency if they want to help investors make investment decisions. But what should be disclosed?
McKinsey Quarterly 2008
Why Americans Pay More for Health Care. The United States spends more on health care than comparable countries do and more than its wealth would suggest. Here’s how -- and why.
How Companies Make Good Decisions. Companies get a lot of advice about how to make good decisions. Which decision-making disciplines really make a difference?
A Healthier Health Care System for the United Kingdom. New research indicates that leadership by clinicians and talent management are the keys to making things better.
Innovation in Health Care: An Interview with the CEO of the Cleveland Clinic. Delos “Tony” Cosgrove discusses innovation in health care -- including a key role for top executives to play in reducing the nation’s health care burden.
Preparing For an Earnings Slump. Historic trends suggest earnings may fall more than most executives expect. Companies should prepare for steeper declines and take steps to strengthen their positions when times improve.
McKinsey Quarterly 2007
Building a Competitive Finance Function: An Executive Roundtable. By focusing on talent development, new roles for finance, and creative benchmarks, CFOs can deliver a competitive advantage to their companies.
Crafting a Message that Sticks: An Interview with Chip Heath. The key to effective communication: make it simple, make it concrete, and make it surprising.
How Companies Think About Climate Change: A Global Survey. Fully 60 percent of global executives surveyed by The McKinsey Quarterly regard climate change as strategically important, and a majority consider it important to product development, investment planning, and brand managment.
Preparing For the Next Downturn. In a buoyant economy, the next recession seems far off. But managers who prepare during good times can improve their companies’ chances to endure -- or thrive in -- the eventual downturn.
Building the Civilized Workplace. Nasty people don’t just make others feel miserable; they create economic problems for their companies.
The Halo Effect, and Other Managerial Delusions. Companies cannot achieve superior and lasting business performance simply by following a specific set of steps.
Betting on Biofuels. The industry is still in its infancy, but evolving rapidly. Companies that hope to compete must devise their strategy now.
Living With the Limitations of Success. Once companies reach a certain size, setting realistic performance aspirations gets a bit trickier.
