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When it comes to starting a family, timing is everything

The review, conducted jointly with researchers from Oxford University, the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, and the Princess Anne Hospital in Southampton, included seven randomised controlled trials involving 2,464 women or couples who had been trying to conceive. Each month there is a narrow window for successful conception due to the limited lifespan of the sperm and egg, which begins from around five days before ovulation (egg release) and lasts…

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How AI gives you data synthesis superpowers

We’re all living in a data haystack. You’ve got files on your OneDrive—some organized, some dumped in a heap in your documents. Files on your corporate server—some properly named and categorized, some not. Somewhere among your calendar, emails, chats, documents, meetings, and contacts is a needle—the sliver of insight you need now. Think of Microsoft 365 Copilot as a magnet. One of the most powerful aspects of Copilot is its…

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Is Menopause a Disability?

Whilst potentially considered a taboo subject in the past, there is now far more conversation about menopause and, with employment rates for women aged 50 – 64 increasing from 46.9% in 1992 to 66.3% in 2023, more women are experiencing menopause during their working lives than ever before. The recent Employment Tribunal case of Lynskey v Direct Line Insurance Services Ltd demonstrates that menopause symptoms can amount to a disability…

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What can we learn from all these recent layoffs

10,000 layoffs at Microsoft. 6,000 layoffs on Twitter – that’s a whopping 80% of their workforce! Amazon isn’t far behind, with 18,000 layoffs Even Meta is planning to cut another 10,000 jobs.  And Google? Well, they’ve let go of 12,000 of their own. Job market is always shifting these days. Job security feels like it’s hanging by a thread. These layoffs are causing a lot of anxiety and making the…

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Depression after stroke

Scientists discover a biomarker in stroke survivors, suggesting that chemical changes after stroke can lead to depression. The findings may pave the way toward treatment. - By Sarah C.P. Williams “We can now look at a stroke survivor’s blood and predict their mood,” Marion Buckwalter said.   Earlier this year, Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman checked himself into a hospital for clinical depression after suffering a near-fatal stroke. Fetterman’s case of…

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Back to Wholesale: Why Retailers are Making the Shift

For retail customers, shopping is an inherently interactive process. Even so, a reported 67% of apparel and 74% of footwear spending is done online. With so much emphasis on providing an authentic brand experience regardless of the channel, brands have experimented with creative ways to demonstrate a strong online presence amidst rises in direct-to-consumer (DTC) eCommerce.  Using footwear and apparel retailers as an example, we’re seeing companies look to seek…

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Forms of Wisdom: Lessons from Public Health Entrepreneurs

Coming from a public health background myself, the intention of the class is to provide a framework for utilizing entrepreneurial pathways to achieve public health goals. My own public health training was largely about analyzing problems and less about envisioning, creating, and implementing solutions. I wanted public health students to have that training, as well as MBA students at the School of Management. They may not think of themselves as…

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ECB staff macroeconomic projections for the euro area, September 2023

The short-term outlook for growth in the euro area has deteriorated, while over the medium term the economy should gradually return to moderate growth as both domestic and foreign demand recover. Euro area economic activity grew at a subdued paced in the first half of 2023, despite the elevated level of manufacturing order backlogs and the unwinding of high energy prices. Moreover, these effects have largely waned and short-term indicators…

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5 useful tips that could help you cut back on unnecessary spending

According to a study from Vanquis, people in the UK make an average of seven large impulse purchases each year. This adds up to at least £1,050 a year in spending that people later come to regret. Vanquis tasked mathematician and University Challenge star Bobby Seagull with finding ways to avoid “buyer’s regret” – the feeling that many people experience after spending on items they later decide are not worth…

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Risk Management Consultancy – Safeguarding Your Business

Risk management consultancy is not merely a service but a critical partner in the success of any business. Risk management is a fundamental practice that can make or break a business. In today’s dynamic business environment, where uncertainties lurk at every corner, risk management consultancy plays a pivotal role in safeguarding your business interests. This comprehensive guide will explore the world of risk management consultancy, including its services, the paramount…

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Working Moms Are Mostly Thriving Again. Can We Finally Achieve Gender Parity?

So much has changed since a groundbreaking study found that daughters of working moms often perform better in their own careers than daughters of stay-at-home moms—and are just as happy, to boot. Diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts across higher education and corporate America have continued to broaden opportunities for women in the workplace over the intervening five years, but the COVID-19 pandemic threw a wrench into many a working mom’s…

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Analyzing the SEC’s Latest Changes to Private Fund Adviser Rules

Drastic regulatory changes are taking place in the world of private funds. On August 23, 2023, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) introduced amendments to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the “Advisers Act”) which substantially impact both SEC-registered investment advisers and unregistered investment advisers.  The SEC voted 3-2 along party lines to adopt a set of new rules under the Advisers Act, with an express focus on private…

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Why Word Choice Has Emotional Consequences in Your Healthcare Content

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” — Maya Angelou, poet and writer I use the above quote when teaching clients about the best practices of effective web writing for healthcare. It’s a good gut check for expectation setting. And it underscores the importance of word choice in our content. Healthcare content…

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You must Comply or Die – The Rise of the AI Governance Stack

Just two months after its initial release, OpenAI’s ChatGPT reached 100 million users, making it the fastest-growing consumer application in history according to Reuters. In the months since, we have seen AI strategy rise to a top priority among business leaders: More than half of CXOs now list “Generative AI and LLMs” among their top five priorities, according to our latest Battery Ventures Cloud Software Spending survey. But the growing…

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Confidential information, know-how and trade secrets: valuation definition

What is know-how? What is a trade secret? Is all know-how a trade secret? Is all know-how confidential? How do these terms fit into the larger proprietary information framework that we refer to as intellectual property (IP)? Authors / Contributors: Authored by Natalia hawe and Anita Nador, with contributions by Matt Hervey (UK), Vivian Wei Cheng* (Singapore) and Vivian Desmonts (China). *Vivian Wei Cheng is a patent attorney working in…

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Healthy lifestyle can help prevent depression – and new research may explain why

In research published today in Nature Mental Health, an international team of researchers, including from the University of Cambridge and Fudan University, looked at a combination of factors including lifestyle factors, genetics, brain structure and our immune and metabolic systems to identify the underlying mechanisms that might explain this link. According to the World Health Organization, around one in 20 adults experiences depression, and the condition poses a significant burden…

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How Consumers Use Generative AI

It’s been 9 months since ChatGPT was released and 7 months since it became the fastest consumer application to reach 100 million monthly active users, ushering in a new era of generative AI. But other than ChatGPT, how are consumers interacting with generative AI (GenAI) products? In which categories do incumbents dominate—and where are new companies breaking out? Who might be the next “big winner”? To begin to answer these…

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Some employees are destroying value – Others are building it

The pandemic has forced major changes in how, when, and where people work. It has also bedeviled employers. Due in part to new hybrid and remote-working models, companies are struggling to find objective ways to gauge employee effectiveness—a critical challenge as labor costs have increased and worker productivity has declined. According to new McKinsey research, employee disengagement and attrition could cost a median-size S&P 500 company between $228 million and…

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Changes for ‘Over The Top’ communications services following their inclusion within the European Electronic Communications Code  

In so doing, obligations under the ePrivacy Directive that apply to traditional communications services (voice phone calls (fixed and mobile) and text messaging (SMS)) and obligations under the European Accessibility Act now extend to OTT services, such as messaging, web-based email and voice over IP. Additionally, while the provisions transposing the EECC into Irish law only commenced in June 2023, the application of the EECC with regard to these services…

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Business Transition and Succession: A Comprehensive Guide

Succession planning is a deliberate and methodical process aimed at identifying and nurturing individuals within your organization who are poised to assume pivotal leadership roles in the future.  Introduction The process of business transition and succession planning is a pivotal aspect of managing a thriving enterprise. Whether you oversee a small family-owned business or a sprawling corporation, comprehending the nuances of transitioning ownership and leadership is vital for long-term viability.…

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Apple shows new iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus

A huge leap forward for iPhone with a gorgeous new design featuring a durable, color-infused back glass and new contoured edge, the Dynamic Island, a 48MP Main camera with 2x Telephoto, and USB‑C. CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, featuring an industry-first color-infused back glass with a stunning, textured matte finish, and a new contoured edge on the aluminum enclosure. Both models feature the Dynamic…

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U.S. Israel – Parallel Paths

What makes the current situation in Israel so fascinating to an American observer are the parallels between what is happening in Israel and what is happening in the United States. Both countries are deeply divided, socially and politically. Uncompromising partisanship has hollowed out the political center. Comity in political discourse has been replaced by the demonization of political opponents and increasingly bellicose rhetoric. The terms “treason” and “tyranny” appear frequently.…

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The Manager’s Role in Mastering Retention

As someone who has spent quite some time in the workplace, I’ve noticed something odd: talented people seem to leave their jobs more often than not. It’s always a bit baffling when someone with all the skills and abilities a company needs up and leaves for seemingly no reason. A study has shown that 57% of employees leave because of their manager.  So, what can managers do to retain their…

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Finance is linear – Organizations are not

In private, talent operating partners are frustrated with investment teams lack of understanding about organizations. Likewise, investment managers are frustrated that they can’t find the right executive talent fast enough. Frictions have spiked with economic headwinds increasing pressure to deliver operational improvements. These tensions are an inevitable aspect of the “Third Wave” in private equity, as the focus shifts from leverage and simple operational improvements to complex organisational drivers of…

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UK Parliamentary Committee – The future of artificial intelligence governance policy

On 31 August 2023, the UK Parliament’s House of Commons Science, Innovation, and Technology Committee issued its interim report (“Report”) on the governance of artificial intelligence (“AI”) – a matter that has for some time been the focus of policy development across the world. The report is a result of an enquiry by the Committee, to which both Coran Darling and Tim Clement-Jones contributed evidence as we push towards a…

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Professor Walker on the Morocco earthquake disaster

Professor Richard Walker (Department of Earth Sciences) describes the background to the devastating 8 September 2023 Morocco earthquake, which has a  current death toll of nearly 2,500 lives. Professor Richard Walker. Image credit: Dr Claudia Bertoni. Parts of the Atlas mountains and the city of Marrakech were strongly shaken and damaged by a 6.8 magnitude earthquake late Friday evening. We have seen images of the widespread destruction, the damage to…

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The Why, What, and How of Skills-Based Talent Practices

More jobs than ever require a four-year college degree, including many that never did in the past. Beth Berwick is among those calling for a retreat. “You have to take that requirement off of job descriptions,” she said. “It’s excluding 64% of the population — including 76% of Black Americans and 80% of Latinos.” Instead, she maintains, organizations should be hiring based on the skills they need. Berwick made her…

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The 32-Year-Old Samsung Dehumidifier Keeping a Korean Craftsman’s Studio Comfortable

The basement studio of Man-gi Park features numerous traditional Najeonchilgi masterpieces. Najeonchilgi refers to objects finished with Ottchil1 and inlaid with Najeon (mother-of-pearl, various colorful and vibrant pieces of shellfish). Najeonchilgi require highly intricate designs and high levels of craftsmanship at each process of production — from building the base product to applying numerous layers of natural lacquer to adorning the façade with small pieces of shellfish — and are thus…

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Your game plan for future-proofing sports data and analytics

The global summer sporting calendar has drawn to a close with the Women’s World Cup 2023. This summer’s tournament follows a record-breaking Women’s Euros 2022, which reached over 365 million viewers and smashed previous betting stats, closing out at over 1.5 million online bets placed throughout the tournament. Increased interest in women’s sports also led EA Sports to release their first global FIFA 23 edition with a front cover featuring…

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Organizational Change Management Strategy for a Veeva Implementation

An international biopharmaceutical company was planning on implementing a new quality management system (QMS), Veeva Vault QMS. This would be a multi-year implementation that affects thousands of employees across the globe. The biopharmaceutical company was looking to engage in a holistic end-to-end organizational change management (OCM) strategy to drive the successful adoption and usage of the new technology and to minimize the day-to-day impact to the business post go-live. The…

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Our commitment to the Nordic financial services sector

Valcon, a prominent European consultancy specialising in technology, data and consulting, has made a significant commitment to expanding its presence and capabilities in the Nordic financial services sector. This expansion is driven by our dedication to the financial industry and our desire to strengthen our position in the Nordic region. Valcon has a commendable track record in the financial services sector, with expertise in areas such as operational improvement, compliance,…

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NVIDIA Partners With India Giants to Advance AI in World’s Most Populous Nation

The world’s largest democracy is poised to transform itself and the world, embracing AI on an enormous scale. Speaking with the press Friday in Bengaluru, in the context of announcements from two of India’s largest conglomerates, Reliance Industries Limited and Tata Group, NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang detailed plans to bring AI technology and skills to address the world’s most populous nation’s greatest challenges. “I think this is going…

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Engaging Executives: Bridging the Gap Between Analytics and Action

In the bustling corridors of corporate strategy and executive decision-making, consultants often find themselves navigating a complex maze of beliefs, biases, and barriers. From statements reflecting complacency to misunderstandings of data and employee needs, the challenges that consultants and HR professionals face in executive consultations (EC) and executive presentations (EP) are multifaceted. This article outlines some common statements and offers insights into handling them effectively, including drawing on the power…

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How “carry forward” could boost your savings tax-efficiently

The generous tax relief available on pensions makes them a great choice for retirement saving. You usually benefit from an immediate 20% boost to your savings when you make a contribution – meaning a £1,000 contribution only “costs” you £800. If you’re a higher- or additional-rate taxpayer then further relief is normally available through self-assessment. However, to balance out this generous relief, the Annual Allowance limits the amount of tax-efficient…

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Can China Avoid Japanification?

As growth decelerates in China and the economy slips into deflation, there are fears that the country may be heading towards a situation reminiscent of Japan in the early 1990s, a quagmire that could take decades to shake off. The question on everyone’s minds is whether Beijing will make the necessary tough calls to ease the Chinese economy through this critical phase. Or will fear of political instability and social…

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NLRB Narrows Past Practice Defense for Employer Unilateral Action During Bargaining

On August 30, 2023, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) released two decisions that will make it more difficult for employers to implement past practices during a break in bargaining or at an impasse, opening the door for unions to hold employers hostage by dragging out collective bargaining. Quick Hits Management rights clauses that do not explicitly state they survive contract expiration will not survive contract expiration and cannot be…

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