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

Could a Business Model Help Big Pharma Save Lives and Profit?

With Hepatitis C running rampant in Egypt in 2012, Clifford Samuel, then of California-based Gilead Sciences, convened a series of urgent meetings with Egyptian government officials, doctors, and patients. His goal? To make Gilead’s lifesaving Hepatitis C drugs available for Egypt’s most vulnerable by harnessing a new business model. The bold approach worked. Gilead, one of the world’s leading antiviral makers, would sell its branded Hepatitis C medicines while offering…

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Maximising efficiency: Optimising order-to-cash processes

Many organisations focus exclusively on in-year benefits and quick wins at the expense of discovering the deeper opportunities within order to cash (O2C). However, taking a deeper look into these processes can reveal hidden opportunities that can lead to long-lasting results and significant value. This article delves into the importance of reassessing and improving O2C processes and offers a four-step approach to achieve optimal results. Unveiling the complexity concealed within…

  • Post category:Clarasys
  • Reading time:4 mins read
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Democracy, Defence and Conflict in the Age of AI

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has resulted in its proliferation across various sectors – from consulting and banking to manufacturing and healthcare, to name just a few. Generative AI has become increasingly widespread and is set to be a game changer at all levels, with far-reaching repercussions for democracy, elections and armed conflict. It is therefore critical to assess its impact on democratic principles and institutions, as well…

  • Post category:INSEAD Knowledge
  • Reading time:6 mins read
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Essential Guidelines for Businesses: Complying with UK Law for B2C Gift Cards

Gift cards have become a popular option for offering gifts and rewards in the Business-to-Consumers (B2C) domain. As a business offering gift cards to UK consumers, it is crucial to understand the UK legal rules surrounding gift cards to protect your customers and your business. In this article, we will outline the key legal rules that gift card providers should be aware of and explain how you can comply with…

  • Post category:Logan & Partners
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How AI Is Powering the Future of Clean Energy

AI is improving ways to power the world by tapping the sun and the wind, along with cutting-edge technologies. The latest episode in the I AM AI video series showcases how artificial intelligence can help optimize solar and wind farms, simulate climate and weather, enhance power grid reliability and resilience, advance carbon capture and power fusion breakthroughs. It’s all enabled by NVIDIA and its energy-conscious partners, as they use and…

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Effective Change Management and Its Role in Project Success

Change is an inevitable aspect of any project, whether it’s a small business initiative or a large-scale enterprise venture. Embracing and managing change effectively can make or break a project’s success. In this article, we delve into the crucial role of effective change management in project success. We will explore various strategies, tools, and best practices that can help organizations navigate through transitions successfully. Let’s understand how to optimize the…

  • Post category:NMS Consulting
  • Reading time:6 mins read
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The Art and Science of Delivering Impact

Q: What are the core values that led you to the work you do? Passion and compassion drive me professionally and personally. I have a fervency for service to others that comes out of my roots in Judaism: You don’t have an obligation to perfect the world, but you do have a responsibility to keep trying to make things better. I come from a community that has been marginalized in…

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Why more strikes are coming

Americans are all in for labor these days. According to an August 2022 Gallup poll, 71 percent of Americans approve of labor unions, up from 64 percent prior to the pandemic and the highest Gallup has recorded since 1965. SLS Professor Emeritus William B. Gould With Hollywood writers and actors on their first coordinated strike in 63 years, thousands of Los Angeles hospitality workers walking their own picket lines, and…

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Closing Supply Gaps in the Electricity Market

Last year, electricity was in short supply, and prices in the electricity market skyrocketed. Rising prices signal a shortage ‒ for example, during hours of high demand and low production from renewables, and during crises such as the gas shortage resulting from the Ukraine war. However, most consumers in Switzerland have little incentive to respond to these price signals, as they are supplied by their electricity utility (EVU) at a…

  • Post category:Avenir Suisse
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TRACE your social value | How to measure your organisation’s social value impact

Social value has been ‘a thing’ in the business world since the 70s. But it has gradually increased in prominence, particularly in the last decade as awareness of the importance of operating sustainably has grown. Of course, it’s not just about sustainability. Social value incorporates what organisations do in terms of community (their relationships with the communities in which they operate and employ people), wellbeing (ensuring employees are well looked…

  • Post category:Valcon
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Bullying at work – A step too far?

Employers have a duty to provide a safe working environment to their employees, to ensure they are not discriminated against, and do not suffer harassment or victimisation, due to any of the protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010. However, when it comes to bullying at work, employers will have become aware that the ‘bar’ when behaviours cross the threshold to be classed as bullying seems to have lowered, which…

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Five tips to avoid, manage and respond to a cyber attack

The digitisation of businesses and the increasing reliance on technology for core business operations has heightened the risk of a cyber attack. In fact, in this day and age, it's a matter of when – and not if – a cyber attack will take place. A cyber attack can cause significant financial loss, intellectual property theft, disruption to business services and can also damage investor and consumer confidence in a…

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Apple partnerships help Californians access affordable housing and resources

In 2021, as so many communities continued to grapple with the financial effects of the pandemic, Fernando Cortes struggled to find work and pay his bills. A friend told him that Destination: Home, a nonprofit focused on the unhoused and supported in part by Apple, could help defray the cost of his rental payments as part of its Homelessness Prevention System. “I wouldn’t have been able to continue living in…

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For distance runners, leaner isn’t faster

The idea that a leaner body makes for a faster stride is common among distance runners. But it's inaccurate and sets a dangerous ideal, according to Megan Roche, MD, PhD, an ultrarunner and researcher at Stanford Medicine. Runners who are excessively lean are prone to injuries, infectious diseases, mental health problems and loss in bone density, said Michael Fredericson, MD, a professor of orthopaedic surgery who has served for decades…

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Why, As Incomes Rise, Variability in Happiness Shrinks?

For more than a decade, the World Happiness Report—a collaboration among several top universities in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada—has published annual data on the happiest countries in the world; Finland has held the top spot for six years in a row. Part of a vast body of literature that examines people’s subjective well-being and the factors that contribute to its improvement or decline, the report calculates…

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Where could $374 billion in dry powder go?

Private capital loved software —or it did for about a decade, during which capital deployment skyrocketed. In more recent quarters, software markets have reflected global macroeconomic uncertainty. Publicly listed companies’ multiples swooned; access to debt markets tightened; and private markets continued to hold large amounts of dry powder. Developments in banking that have affected major tech-financing entities may also affect capital raises for software. Developments in banking that have affected…

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Why Are Banks Regulated in the First Place?

On June 12, 2023, UBS formally took over Credit Suisse. This step was announced three months ago, at the historic press conference on March 19. Since then, there has rightfully been fierce discussion about the events surrounding the two major banks. Not only was emergency law applied, but state guarantees amounting to billions were granted. The chosen approach was a result of the power of circumstances and a regulatory failure.…

  • Post category:Avenir Suisse
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Part-Time Employees Want More Hours. Can Companies Tap This ‘Hidden’ Talent Pool?

Part-time workers who want more hours are a hugely untapped resource. Strange, since employers continue to encounter skills shortages. Why are qualified, eager workers underemployed? Harvard Business School Professor Joseph Fuller’s latest paper, “Hidden Workers, Part-Time Potential,” reveals that many such workers are caregivers, excluded from full-time jobs because short-sighted employers don’t offer them the flexibility they need. Filtered out by hiring algorithms due to employment gaps or other hiring…

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ESG is here to stay as both the Asset Wealth Management and the policymakers seem set on an irreversible course of action

Interestingly we see a transformative shift of institutional investors towards ESG investing in private markets, highlighting its rise, the demand for enhanced reporting, and the potential for a sustainable future. According to a report published by PwC Luxembourg, titled ‘GPs’ Global ESG Strategies: Disclosure Standards, Data Requirements & Strategic Options‘, institutional investors are transforming their investment philosophy as they increasingly prioritise environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations. As the momentum behind…

  • Post category:Finance Malta
  • Reading time:4 mins read
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When We Agree, Our Brains Align

Conversation is an integral part of everyday life, anchoring all sorts of interactions, from mundane daily planning with one’s partner to collaborative work meetings to jury deliberations. Research has shown that even brief conversations can play an influential role in society, such as by creating support for anti-discrimination laws, or influencing voting behavior, and these effects can spread throughout social networks. by Kirk Kardashian   But does conversation actually change…

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Do Consumers See Your Business as a Force for Good?

The public’s growing concerns about environmental issues, along with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s efforts to impose fines on businesses for greenwashing, point to the potential fallout when companies engage in environmentally damaging actions. Companies such as Burger King, KFC, and McDonald’s have all been recent targets of government and investor pressure to cut plastic waste. Last year, both Kohl’s and Walmart reached settlements of $2.5 million and $3 million,…

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Navigating the Weedy Waters of Cannabis Companies in Financial Distress

As the cannabis industry matures, there will be winners and losers.  Losers lack access to the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.  Marijuana related assets cannot be sold free and clear of liens and encumbrances via the tried and true bankruptcy section 363 sale, which leaves the loser’s creditors without the best tool to maximize the value of the loser’s assets, and deprives acquirers of a federal court order conveying assets.  What’s the…

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
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SEC’s Pointless Climate Disclosures

Last year, the SEC released very ambitious proposals for disclosures on climate-related issues with these soothing words: “Our core bargain from the 1930s is that investors get to decide which risks to take, as long as public companies provide full and fair disclosure and are truthful in those disclosures.” In the abstract, this message contains a good deal of sense. But in the concrete, the proposition contains some major ambiguities…

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Building your business’ change capability

For businesses to secure a sustainable future, they must enhance their ability to adapt and innovate in an ever-evolving marketplace. Here, we’ll explore why change capability is a vital determinant of transformational success and provide two pieces of advice that leaders can leverage to build this key competency. We’ve heard it all before, but the evidence says your next transformation is likely to fail! Repeated studies have shown that most…

  • Post category:Q5 Partners
  • Reading time:7 mins read
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Being charismatic… (when you’re not charismatic)

Whether you love or hate the term, it represents an important quality for leaders – the ability to show up in a way that engages others, aligns and motivates them, and that ultimately can rally them to get things done. When working with leaders who are self-identified introverts, they often prickle at the assumption that they need to consciously “extrovert” themselves to demonstrate executive presence. Or be gregarious. Or just…

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Reimagining Employee Experience with Always-On Surveys

As organizations progress their listening journey, many are placing increasing focus on measuring the employee experience more holistically, taking stock of key moments across the employee lifecycle. This can be accomplished through the use of "always-on" surveys. Always-on surveys differ from traditional, point-in-time listening events. They are continuous in nature — meaning that they don’t have a pre-defined start and stop date. Always-on employee listening measures the evolution of an…

  • Post category:Perceptyx
  • Reading time:8 mins read
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How the third generation of the Mostert family makes the family business flourish with PLNTS.com

“We want to build a solid and sustainable business that is ready for the future” It all started with a university project of Jesse Mostert: setting up a mini business. He decided to sell plant cuttings through Instagram. Not a bad idea, keeping the nursery in mind that had been in the family for three generations. When orders from all over Europe started pouring in, he realised: we need to…

  • Post category:Marktlink
  • Reading time:5 mins read
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Virtual Influencers: The Future of Brand Marketing?

The article discusses the rise of virtual influencers alongside traditional influencers on social media platforms. It highlights the benefits of virtual influencers, such as stability, creative control, and 24/7 availability, for brands. The increasing popularity of virtual avatars, their unique advantages, and their potential as a long-term investment are explored. The coexistence of both virtual and human influencers is expected to shape the future of influencer marketing, offering exciting opportunities…

  • Post category:Avalon Consulting
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Clean Smarter, Not Harder: The Story Behind the New Bespoke Jet™ AI

With the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), smart technologies have entered many aspects of our lives, particularly in the form of home appliances that streamline our daily routines. Although robot vacuums already adopted AI among cleaning appliances, traditional stick-type vacuum cleaners have still room for intelligent innovation, considering being the cleaning solution that most people are familiar with. Recognizing this white space, Samsung recently introduced Bespoke Jet AI, the world’s…

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From New York City to London and Beyond, It’s Time for Unpacked To Shine in Seoul

Before the start of Galaxy Unpacked 2023 on July 26, taking place in Seoul, Korea for the first time, Samsung Electronics is releasing its “Join the flip side” digital out-of-home (OOH) advertisements one by one at landmarks across the world. Samsung Newsroom is previewing two teaser videos ahead of the event: “Join the flip side” and “The Journey of Galaxy Unpacked.” “Join the flip side” Takes Over the World The…

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Fortifying our Agriculture against Climate Change

The article discusses India’s record-breaking foodgrains production in 2021-22 and the emerging challenges posed by climate change, resulting in extreme weather events. It highlights the impact of such events on the different stages of crop lifecycles – sowing, irrigation, and harvesting. The article also presents possible mitigation measures, including using resilient crop varieties, incorporating millets in the crop mix, adopting precision agriculture techniques, and evaluating future crop distribution. India witnessed…

  • Post category:Avalon Consulting
  • Reading time:6 mins read
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CMU Research Examines Sustainability of Grocery Delivery

The COVID-19 pandemic saw a marked surge of e-commerce and online grocery delivery services that persisted past lockdown conditions. The latest work(opens in new window) by Carnegie Mellon University College of Engineering researchers examined the impacts of grocery delivery on energy use, emissions and traffic congestion, and whether there might be a better way to manage and optimize deliveries. The study found that grocery delivery was less energy efficient than…

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AI, Efficiency, and All Things Fintech in 2023: A Q&A with the CEOs of Adyen, SoFi, and Wise

From left to right: SoFi CEO Anthony Noto, Wise CEO Kristo Käärmann, Adyen co-CEO Pieter van der Does, and a16z Partner Alex Immerman. During a recent Connect/Fintech event hosted by a16z, Pieter van der Does, co-founder and co-CEO of leading financial technology platform Adyen, Anthony Noto, CEO of the leading digital personal finance company SoFi, and Kristo Käärmann, co-founder and CEO of leading money movement platform service Wise, sat down…

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Melissa Davis: Can a Radiologist Trust AI?

Harlan Krumholz: Welcome to Health & Veritas. I’m Harlan Krumholz. Howard Forman: I’m Howie Forman. We’re physicians and professors at Yale University. We’re trying to get closer to the truth about health and healthcare. This week, we’ll be speaking with Dr. Melissa Davis. But first, we’d like to check in on hot topics in health and healthcare. And Harlan, I know there’s a topic that got you really interested, and…

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China: New Measures on Generative Artificial Intelligence

On 13 July 2023, China’s Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) and six other regulators have jointly passed the Interim Measures for the Management of Generative Artificial Intelligence Services (GenAI Measures) which come into force on 15 August 2023. The new law, which is the first of its kind in Asia, follows from previous draft measures released earlier this year. The new rules contain several notable changes which provide more clarity…

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How Robots Can Enhance Performance Management for Humans

We are in the middle of a robot revolution. The past decade has seen dramatic growth in robot adoption across an increasing number of industries, and it shows no signs of slowing. In a recent McKinsey survey of companies worldwide, 88% of respondents said they plan to invest in robotics for their business. Our research has found an equally and perhaps more important transformation taking place: The adoption of robots…

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Toxic workplace culture…I’m not loving it

In February this year, McDonalds entered into a legally binding agreement with the Equality and Human Rights Commission through which it pledged to protect its staff from sexual harassment. Following the agreement, the BBC began an investigation into working conditions within McDonalds, which has now revealed over 100 allegations from current and former McDonalds workers across the past five months relating to sexual assault, harassment, racism and homophobia.  From pledging…

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