Business, Management, Marketing, Money, Tax, Law, People

Managing the Human Risks of Biometric Applications

Frontiers The intimate surveillance afforded by biometric technologies requires managers to consider negative impacts on privacy and human dignity. Andrew Park, Jayson Killoran, and Jan Kietzmann August 29, 2024 Reading Time: 9 min  Topics Frontiers An MIT SMR initiative exploring how technology is reshaping the practice of management. More in this series Gary Waters/Ikon Images In April, Colorado became the first state to mandate that companies protect the privacy of…

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Military Alliances of the Great Powers

The world has been and continues to be driven by three famous elements of Realism; “self-help, statism, and survival,” writes Major General (Retd) Raza Muhammad, President of the Islamabad Policy Research Institute. Historical Background For centuries, military alliances have remained a fundamental aspect of statecraft and international relations. The rise of collective security in the face of the larger powers in ancient Greece formed the bedrock of military alliances and…

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What It Means for Companies to Act Their Age

David Senior Every business experiences a life cycle, transitioning from a startup through growth and maturity, and eventually decline. While no leader wants to see their business in decline, the best response to aging as a business is to accept that it’s happening and run the company to reflect its age. There are several factors that induce companies to fight aging, sometimes with success. Some are rooted in psychology: Shrinking…

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Illinois Steps Up AI Regulation in Employment: Key Takeaways for Employers

Quick Hits Illinois’s new AI regulations under HB 3773 take effect on January 1, 2026, giving employers a limited window to prepare for compliance. The law broadly defines “artificial intelligence” to include any machine-based system that generates outputs influencing employment decisions, with no specific exemptions provided. Employers must provide notice to employees if AI is used in recruitment, hiring, promotion, or other employment-related decisions. HB 3773 represents an additional AI-related…

  • Post category:Ogletree Deakins
  • Reading time:6 mins read
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Shoot for the Stars: What to Know About the Space Economy

A new space race—one fueled more by commercial conquest than intergalactic domination—is charting solutions to pressing problems in national security, climate change, and communication.With costs poised to drop and innovation on the rise, the economics of cosmic exploration and commerce are rapidly changing. Harvard Business School Senior Associate Dean Matthew Weinzierl’s new research explores the business opportunities hidden among the stars, particularly in data from and through space, but also…

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The gen AI skills revolution: Rethinking your talent strategy

If every company needs to be a software company, do you have a software organization that can deliver? The answer to that question could be decisive for the future of many companies.The ability to compete depends increasingly on how well organizations can build software products and services. Already, nearly 70 percent of top economic performers, versus just half of their peers, use their own software to differentiate themselves from their competitors.…

  • Post category:McKinsey & Company
  • Reading time:15 mins read
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Seeing Peer Ratings Pushes Professionals to Align Their Evaluations

Few people like to consider themselves followers, but when it comes to evaluating goods, services, and even our own colleagues, it turns out many of us are. That matters because collective evaluation processes—whether a restaurant’s ratings on Yelp or performance reviews at work—can play a significant role in sinking or launching a product, service, or someone’s career. New research from Yale SOM’s Tristan Botelho shows how the design of evaluation…

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Future of Sanctions Policy in a Multipolar World

Based on the foregoing, and taking into account countries’ experiences between 1992, when the unipolar world was established, and 2024 – namely, that the initiators of draft resolutions in the UN Security Council on restrictive measures were Western countries, we can assume that such attempts will continue in the future; we should not expect changes in Western sanctions policy, Milana Živanović writes. On May 30, 1992, amid the war in…

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Global timber supply threatened as climate change pushes cropland northwards

The sight of vineyards in Britain is becoming more common as hotter summers create increasingly suitable conditions for growing grapes. But behind this success story is a sobering one: climate change is shifting the regions of the world suitable for growing crops.Researchers at the University of Cambridge have uncovered a looming issue: as the land suitable for producing our food moves northwards, it will put a squeeze on the land…

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How Workplace Safety Improves Performance

Frontiers OSHA’s longest-serving administrator identifies safety approaches that work — and those that don’t. David Michaels August 28, 2024 Reading Time: 10 min  Topics Frontiers An MIT SMR initiative exploring how technology is reshaping the practice of management. More in this series Neil Webb/theispot.com Chasing lower labor costs, most of the United States’ toy and game companies have relocated production outside the country, primarily to Asia. One of the only…

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Wage and Hour Around the Corner: DOL Issues Guidance on Wage-Hour Risk Posed by Artificial Intelligence

The rules governing the employment relationship are always changing. Laws creating new employer obligations, technology solutions making work more efficient and more complicated, and rules governing the resolution of disputes between employers and their workers are around every corner. Wage and Hour Around the Corner is a new blog series for employers, in-house lawyers, and HR, payroll, and compensation, that helps employers stay on the cutting edge of wage and…

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  • Reading time:4 mins read
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An Australian designer of street fashion is an early adopter of generative AI, with caveats

A few months ago, Marcus Crook had an idea for the Melbourne streetwear label and social enterprise HoMie, where he is co-founder and creative director.    He opened Microsoft Copilot in Windows and typed: “1990s metal band style font with the word ‘HoMie’ in one color screenprint, with distressed effects, black font on a white background.”    Copilot, a generative AI assistant, produced some simple, cartoon-like images, which Crook transferred into editing…

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The one chart that shows you don’t have to panic if stock markets fall

Global stock markets fell sharply on 5 August 2024, causing concern for investors. The Dow Jones Industrial Average posted its worst day in around two years and the Japanese stock market saw its biggest drop since Black Monday in 1987. As an investor, it’s natural that you may be concerned about this uncertainty. After all, you’re likely to have invested so you can grow your wealth to achieve your financial…

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5 ways Microsoft Azure can reimagine student experiences and streamline operations

Microsoft Azure enables educational institutions to adapt to new realities, improve operations, and protect student and faculty information from cyber threats. In today’s rapidly evolving world, education is facing unprecedented challenges that require transformation. Microsoft plays a pivotal role in providing the tools and resources schools need to create a more inclusive, equitable, and effective education environment. With AI-powered, secure, and flexible solutions, Microsoft Azure enables educational institutions to adapt…

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Understanding Anti-Dilution Clauses

Dilution occurs when a company issues new shares, reducing the ownership percentage of existing shareholders. This typically happens during fundraising rounds when new investors come on board, or through employee stock options, convertible securities, or mergers. Dilution can significantly impact an existing shareholder’s control over the company and its share of future profits. Imagine you own 10% of a company with 1,000 shares, meaning you hold 100 shares. If the…

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  • Reading time:3 mins read
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How Asia is harnessing AI for social good

The UN Sustainable Development Goals were set to be achieved by 2030—yet only 17 percent of SDG targets are on track. In Asia, research has shown that the region will only achieve the SDGs by 2062 if it carries on its present trajectory. Can AI play a meaningful role in accelerating Asia–Pacific’s initiatives to achieve the goals and improve people’s lives while protecting biodiversity? In this episode of the Future…

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  • Reading time:24 mins read
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One term of empathy training measurably improved classroom behaviour

An analysis of a short programme teaching empathy in schools has found it had a positive impact on students’ behaviour and increased their emotional literacy within 10 weeks.The findings come from an evaluation of the “Empathy Programme”: a term-long course developed by the UK-based Empathy Studios. The research was conducted with support from academics at the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge.Empathy Studios develops school-based, video-led programmes which aim to…

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An AI platform tailored for the enterprise

Cohere is carving a name for itself in the exploding AI market by focusing squarely on business clients and collaborating with major companies such as Google, Amazon, Oracle, and Microsoft, among others. Founded in 2019 by college friends Aidan Gomez, Nick Frosst, and Ivan Zhang, the company maintains offices in Toronto, San Francisco, New York, and London.Gomez sat down with McKinsey senior partner Ben Ellencweig, who leads alliances, acquisitions, and…

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How Human-Informed AI Leads to More Accurate Digital Twins

A hybrid approach that combines human knowledge and machine learning delivers better results for mission-critical simulations. Pushkar P. Apte and Costas J. Spanos August 27, 2024 Reading Time: 7 min  Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images “OK, Houston, we’ve had a problem here,” said astronaut John Swigert in 1970, after an explosion disabled the Apollo 13 spacecraft on its way to the moon, 200,000 miles from Earth. Those iconic words…

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AI’s impact at 3 industry-leading companies

While generative AI is still a relatively new technology, data from McKinsey & Company1 suggests that 2024 will go down as a defining year for adoption. The percentage of organizations regularly using generative AI (65 percent) has nearly doubled in the past 10 months, and the number of organizations using it in two or more business functions jumped from one-third in 2023 to 50 percent this year. Businesses are also…

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  • Reading time:5 mins read
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A board-level view of cyber resilience

Amid growing corporate and public sector cyber breaches and recent high-profile technology outages, significant changes are occurring in both the role of boards in cybersecurity and within the cybersecurity industry itself. In this interview, McKinsey’s Sean Brown speaks with Vinnie Liu, the cofounder and CEO of the cybersecurity firm Bishop Fox, and McKinsey cyber-resilience experts Justin Greis and Daniel Wallance about how boards of directors should approach oversight of cybersecurity.…

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  • Reading time:18 mins read
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Cambridge Children’s Hospital moves ahead as plans for new hospital approved by ministers

Plans for Cambridge Children’s Hospital can move ahead following the news that the Outline Business Case for the project has been signed off by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. The project has been given the green light to begin the detailed process of appointing a contractor, to build the ground-breaking new facility in 2026.The ministerial backing means that the…

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Skills Training Links Psychological Safety to Revenue Growth

Nick Lowndes/Ikon Images Many organizations around the world recognize psychological safety (PS) as being crucial for innovation, collaboration, and transformation. Briefly put, psychological safety describes an environment in which candor is expected and won’t be penalized. Although it’s often covered in leadership training, most organizations struggle to convert a theoretical understanding of PS into bottom-line results. We’ve found that this gap can be closed through skills training in the context…

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New Pathways to Meet Africa’s Challenges

Consider this: Heathrow Airport in the United Kingdom currently uses more energy than the entire west African country of Sierra Leone. Despite Africa accounting for less than 4 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, many of its countries face significant threats from climate change, including increased droughts, floods, heat waves and potential crop failures.According to the African Development Bank climate change costs the continent US$7 billion to US$15 billion yearly, a figure projected to…

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The energy transition: Where are we, really?

Almost nine years after the landmark Paris Agreement and nearly halfway through what has been called a “decisive decade” for climate change, the world stands at a critical juncture in their transition away from fossil fuels. Translating into action the ambitious climate targets that have been put in place by governments and companies depends on accelerating the deployment and adoption of several interrelated technologies. These include renewable energy sources (RES),…

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  • Reading time:20 mins read
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The Republic of Belarus in the SCO: The European Dimension of Eurasian Security

The Republic of Belarus has clearly expressed a desire to cooperate and build relationships in its foreign policy. As a country with an open economy (export quota exceeds 50%), Belarus has long been actively involved in various integration associations in the region (the CIS, EAEU, and the Union State of Belarus and Russia), international organisations (CSTO) and initiatives (for example, China’s Belt and Road). At the same time, the range…

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Building a modern mining company: Interview with Neal Froneman

To power the energy transition, mining companies will need to pivot toward producing critical minerals such as copper, lithium, and rare earth elements, which are essential components of electric vehicles, solar panels, and more. Meanwhile, industry leaders are contending with legacy issues on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) topics and recruitment and making progress on exploring technological developments regarding artificial intelligence and automation. McKinsey senior partners Harry Robinson and Richard…

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  • Reading time:12 mins read
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Why You Should Tap Innovation at Deep-Tech Startups

Topics Frontiers An MIT SMR initiative exploring how technology is reshaping the practice of management. More in this series Kotryna Zukauskaite/theispot.com In today’s business environment, firms must navigate labor shortages, market shifts, geopolitical tensions that strain supply chains and manufacturing, and mandates to adopt sustainable practices. Meeting these demands will require innovation rooted in breakthrough science and engineering. Even companies in less R&D-intensive sectors will need to look to science-based…

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How Microsoft Entra ID supports US government agencies in meeting security requirements

If you’re in charge of cybersecurity for a United States government agency, you’re already familiar with Memorandum M-22-09, “Moving the U.S. Government Toward Zero Trust Cybersecurity Principles,” which the US Office of Management and Budget issued in January 2022. This memo set a September 30, 2024, deadline for meeting “specific cybersecurity standards and objectives” toward implementing a Zero Trust architecture in compliance with the Executive Order on Improving the Nation’s…

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  • Reading time:12 mins read
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Can AI Match Human Ingenuity in Creative Problem-Solving?

When ChatGPT and other large language models began entering the mainstream two years ago, it quickly became apparent the technology could excel at certain business functions, yet it was less clear how well artificial intelligence could handle more creative tasks.Sure, generative AI can summarize the content of an article, identify patterns in data, and produce derivative work—say, a song in the style of Taylor Swift or a poem in the…

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Approaching generative AI with a beginner’s mindset

Applying a growth mindset is the best way for businesses to approach the rapid changes born of generative AI (gen AI), says Clara Shih, CEO of Salesforce AI and today’s guest on this episode of the At the Edge podcast. Shih speaks with McKinsey senior partner Lareina Yee about the transformative power of gen AI to help accelerate workflows, the importance of change management, and the top questions business leaders are…

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  • Reading time:17 mins read
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Sharing risk to avoid power outages

Extreme weather is leading to more frequent power grid strain and electricity outages. There are a range of regional cooperation agreements among utilities to share electricity. Expanding cooperation areas in the West could cut outage risks by as much as 40%. Expanding cooperation among electricity providers could also help ensure public opinion and policy remain favorable for renewable energy growth. This summer’s Western heat waves raise the specter of recent…

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Tax Deduction: The Essence, Shortcomings and Prospects of Israel’s Practice of Collecting Taxes for the PNA

There are various theories explaining the motivation of both the past and current leadership of Israel to follow the path of economic rapprochement with the enemy in the regional conflict. According to the political interpretation, the desire to slow down the emergence of a Palestinian state is to blame. Following this logic, the Israeli authorities continued to refrain from changing the established practice, for fear of creating the illusion of…

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Government Spending: Uncovering Hidden Costs

“What Is Seen and What Is Not Seen.”: In the 19th century, French economist Frédéric Bastiat developed a didactic tool that continues to help us better understand — and ultimately better shape — government activity. It is easy to lose sight of the fact that every government expenditure has a “hidden” cost.  Considering Opportunity Costs  Every Swiss franc can only be spent once. If you subsidize tourism (visible), that money…

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No Candidate Offers a Sound Economic Policy

The economic proposals of both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris present a target-rich environment. In many ways, they ignore sound economic thinking. In one short article, I can’t deal with all of both candidates’ proposals and thinking on economics. In this article, I’ll focus on taxes and spending where, it’s fair to say, Harris is substantially worse. Unfortunately, although Trump is better, he’s not good. Taxes One of the best…

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California Website Owners: Key Updates on Cookie Banners, Arbitration, and Privacy Compliance – Webinar on Sep 10, 2024

Speakers – Kathleen McConnell, Gina Ferrari, and Vincent Smolczynski About the Program: Do you operate a website in California? Are you considering a cookies banner? Does your website terms compel arbitration? Then you need to know about the latest in California Privacy Litigation and Compliance.  Join us for an insightful webinar on navigating the complexities of CIPA (California Invasion of Privacy Act) compliance, focusing on website and cookie banner requirements. Our expert…

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What you don’t know about your employees’ engagement will hurt you

In the dynamic landscape of corporate culture, an engaged workforce isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a necessity for fostering growth and competitive advantage. According to Gallop research, companies with high engagement levels see 17% higher productivity, 20% higher sales, and 21% higher profitability compared to companies with low engagement levels. Towers Watson found that companies with high engagement levels enjoy a 6% higher net profit margin, and organizations with highly…

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“Goodbye BRP, Hello eVisa”: The UK’s Leap into a Digital Immigration Era

In an effort to introduce a fully digital immigration system, the UK Government has announced that Biometric Residence Permits (BRP), Biometric Residence Cards (BRC) and any other legacy paper documents with ink stamp or visa vignette will be phased out, and that as of January 1, 2025, they will no longer be in circulation. How individuals with a UK visa will be impacted: Easier ability to prove right to work…

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Financial Abuse and What Can you Do About It

Divorce is an emotionally taxing experience, especially when financial abuse has played a role in the relationship. Financial abuse, which can be subtle and often goes unnoticed, involves one partner exerting control over the other’s financial resources. It is a pattern of behaviour. If you are currently going through a divorce or considering one, particularly if your partner has been controlling, it’s important to recognise the signs of financial abuse and…

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