Topics Column Our expert columnists offer opinion and analysis on important issues facing modern businesses and managers. More in this series Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images Slower promotions and a weaker job market have led to a lot of folks feeling stuck in a rut. The solution might be moving to a new role within your company — which can help you grow, stay engaged, and increase cross-functional connection.…
In November 2023, we introduced the Secure Future Initiative (SFI) to advance cybersecurity protection for Microsoft, our customers, and the industry. In May 2024, we expanded the initiative to focus on six key security pillars, incorporating industry feedback and our own insights. Since the initiative began, we’ve dedicated the equivalent of 34,000 full-time engineers to SFI—making it the largest cybersecurity engineering effort in history. And now, we’re sharing key updates and…
As a young finance scholar, one of the first topics Professor James Choi tackled was how automatic enrollment in retirement plans affects Americans’ saving. Two decades ago, putting employees into a 401(k) by default, rather than requiring them to proactively opt in, was a novel idea. Choi and his collaborators found that this small nudge yielded significant effects: at one company they studied, automatic enrollment increased 401(k) participation rates by…
Electric two-wheelers, with their affordability, ease of access, and environmental benefits, are leading the charge to vehicle electrification around the world. Electric two-wheeler markets in Asia are loaded with potential. Annual sales in the Indian electric two-wheeler market, the second-largest globally, are expected to increase from one million micromobility units in 2023 to seven to nine million units in 2030. Southeast Asian (SEA) countries are expected to have combined sales…
Stephen Baker and Oliver Williams of our Dispute Resolution team explain how to protect your brand from trade mark infringement. Businesses with established brands are often targets for trade mark infringement. On the internet it is easy for infringers to try and pass themselves off as established brands. If another business is using your brand name or logo or a knock-off to hijack your customer base, you may have legal…
Quick Hits If Governor Newsom signs SB 1100, FEHA will prohibit employers from requiring job applicants to have a driver’s license, with limited exceptions. California already makes it a violation for an employer or other entity to discriminate against individuals with driver’s licenses issued to undocumented workers. SB 1100 would amend FEHA by adding Section 129454.8 to the California Government Code to prohibit an employer from including in “a job…
The past two decades, have seen many industries shaken to the core by a series of digital disruptions. This started with the advent of the internet, followed by the rise of social media, smartphones and now the shockwave of generative AI (GenAI). Industries such as media, advertising, mobility, tourism and telecommunications look fundamentally different today than even just five years ago. While management pulls out all the stops to stay…
The study, published in Energy Research & Social Science, was completed shortly before the Winter Fuel Payment vote was taken, by researchers from the University of Cambridge and Delft University of Technology (TU Delft).The researchers raise particular concerns about the impact of the policy on pensioners with annual incomes of between £11,300–£15,000 for single pensioners and £17,300–£22,000 for couples. Drawing on data from the English Housing Survey, which sampled nearly…
A new study from the Oxford Internet Institute (part of the University of Oxford) and the London School of Economics examines how governments have gradually adopted Silicon Valley’s way of working. This shift offers valuable lessons as the new UK Labour government looks to embrace AI and data science in public services. However, the study also highlights ongoing challenges, such as outdated IT systems, reliance on conservative tech providers, and…
Road freight vehicles account for a significant share of global CO2 emissions. Hence, minimizing their carbon footprint is a vital step toward achieving global climate targets. Over the past decade, governments, fleet operators, and truck OEMs have realized this need for action and have gone to significant lengths to make this positive change happen. Today, the only effective way to reduce these emissions is by switching from combustion engines powered…
The Australian Government has today published a draft Bill outlining the next steps in Australia’s Privacy Act Review process. The changes to be implemented by the Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 include the introduction of: A statutory tort for serious invasions of privacy, which has previously been referred to as filling an “increasingly conspicuous gap” in Australian law regarding the rights and remedies available to individuals following a…
As the end of ESSER funding approaches in September 2024, K–12 district leaders are reflecting on which investments were effective to help shape their priorities in the post-ESSER years ahead. In this third and final article in our series on K–12 district funding, we follow the flow of funds to attempt to answer three key questions: Did K–12 districts spend the stimulus effectively and meet their priorities? How can district…
Telcos worldwide want to evolve from traditional connectivity providers into customer-centric, platform-oriented innovators akin to today’s top tech players. Industry leaders and experts view this shift toward broader services and partner ecosystems as the most promising path to reignited and sustainable growth after many years of declining performance (especially in the European market). As the CEO of one global telco recently noted, “We finally have a shared industry mantra: from…
In a paper published by the British Journal of Psychiatry Open, researchers led by psychiatrist Professor Kam Bhui at the University of Oxford, say that while poor air quality is a risk factor for mental illness, progress in understanding the causes and impact has been too slow. With the climate change crisis affecting air pollution, the researchers urge a team approach, encouraging researchers across different disciplines, both regionally and globally,…
Company Details Industry: Insurance Company size: 13,500+ employees Project Scope: Data Governance team Services provided: Operating Model Consulting, Agile Transformation Coaching, Agile Delivery The situation A leading multinational insurance company, the foremost provider of general insurance in Australia and New Zealand, embarked on an agile transformation journey within its data department. This department, comprising 190 employees, aimed to enhance data governance and implement a robust data strategy that would foster…
Shifting influences Perhaps more importantly, our analysis found that the strength of these stakeholder influences is actually dynamic and can be negatively impacted by external economic crises. For a start, an economic slowdown or recession reduces the bargaining power of the labour force. This is because a tough economic environment can lead to more extreme outcomes. When faced with the risk of their company being liquidated, it is understandable that…
Retiring abroad is a dream for many people nearing the milestone. Whether you’re picturing a sunnier climate or want to move closer to family, there are some implications you might need to consider when managing your pension. According to a report in Moneyweek, more than three-quarters of pension savers would like the opportunity to leave the UK behind when they retire. Perhaps unsurprisingly, seeking better weather was driving 46% of…
The expected global mass rollout of electric trucks is going to require a dense charging network to keep these zero-emission vehicles moving. For Europe, McKinsey estimates that, by 2030, more than 300,000 public and private charge points will be required across the continent for medium- and heavy-duty trucks, up from roughly 10,000 today. The creation of this new infrastructure represents a significant challenge. Building out robust networks of chargers will…
The global economy in 2024 resembles a rollercoaster more than ever before. Geopolitical tensions, technological disruptions, and shifting consumer behaviours have created a perfect storm of uncertainty. For most companies, this volatility presents both a formidable challenge and a unique opportunity. Those who can master the art of value creation in turbulent times will emerge as the true winners. In the words of legendary investor Warren Buffett: “Be fearful when…
The Chinese heavy-duty-truck (HDT) market has faced a variety of challenges. Nearly a decade of rapid growth gave way in 2022, with sales plummeting 45 percent year over year. As the market finds its footing, several new trends are at play: the emergence and rise of new powertrains, partnerships exploring autonomous driving, an increase in exports, and customer pressure on pricing. What does it all mean for HDT OEMs in…
In the past year we experienced significant transformation, driven by AI, impacting the world and the tech industry in dynamic ways. In nearly every conversation I have with partners, we discuss how AI is delivering faster time to value for customers across nearly every industry and opening new possibilities and huge economic potential. In fact, IDC projects that generative AI will add nearly $10 trillion to global GDP over the…
A new study has disputed the saying “money can’t buy happiness”. In fact, the research suggests the opposite is true, money can buy happiness, but it isn’t as simple as accumulating as much wealth as possible. According to the Guardian, a study from the University of Pennsylvania found a strong association between money and happiness. The researchers tracked the happiness of more than 33,000 adults in the US with a…
Since its founding in 1968, Special Olympics has grown into a global program that provides year-round athletic training and competition for millions of children and adults with intellectual disabilities. The program fosters and celebrates its athletes’ abilities and promotes equal access to healthcare for all, according to Dimitri Christakis, MD, a professor of pediatrics and epidemiology at the University of Washington and the chief health officer at Special Olympics International.…
Deepfake videos generated by artificial intelligence grow increasingly difficult to identify as false, a challenge that could significantly skew the results of the upcoming presidential election. Laurie Heller(opens in new window), Carnegie Mellon University professor of psychology, collaborated with Hafsa Ouajdi, Oussama Hadder, Modan Tailleur and Mathieu Lagrange of École Centrale Nantes(opens in new window) to analyze the errors made by the first deep neural network detector the research team developed…
At Microsoft, we seek to enable a decarbonized grid for our company, our customers, and the world. It’s part of our commitment to support a more sustainable future and become a carbon negative company. We’re dedicating significant resources to advancing this goal and adding carbon-free electricity and capacity in the grids where we operate. Today, we’re announcing a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Constellation that will enable the restart of…
You could uncover “lost” pension savings and boost your retirement by tracking down old pots you might have forgotten about. Read on to find out why you might have lost pensions and how to rediscover them. 29 October 2024 marks National Pension Tracing Day and the campaign urges you to join the pension treasure hunt. It’s estimated there are 2.8 million “lost” pensions with a combined value of £26.6 billion.…
In the past, recruiting was often a “spray and pray” approach—posting job openings everywhere and hoping the right candidate would find their way to us, even faxing over their resumes. Thankfully, recruiting today is far more strategic, thanks to the internet and advances in technology. To truly evaluate the success of your hiring efforts, you need to track key recruitment metrics. Let’s explore some of the most important ones. …
While resilient, global economic growth is uneven, forward-looking indicators now show a divergence between manufacturing and services on a global basis. The manufacturing sector has contracted for the first time in 2024, registering 49.7 in July on the global Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), while services continue to grow steadily, clocking in at 53.3 (Exhibit 1). In the advanced markets, the US saw real GDP increase at an annual rate of…
The conventional view of art may be that it is incompatible with technology. But in recent years, digital forms of art have complemented and perhaps enhanced traditional arts such as opera, film, and dance. In her ten years at the helm of the Kennedy Center, Deborah Rutter has led a variety of initiatives to foster interdisciplinary programming. Rutter spoke with McKinsey senior partner Ian Jefferson about the critical role of technology…
Enhance your AI journey with Business Chat and Copilot Pages, updates to Copilot in the Microsoft 365 apps, Copilot agents, enterprise data protection, and more. We’re introducing a new wave of Microsoft Copilot innovation with Business Chat and Copilot Pages, updates to Copilot in the Microsoft 365 apps, Copilot agents, enterprise data protection, and more. In this blog we’ll share new education insights, recap the latest innovations coming to our…
There’s an abundance of unregulated financial advice available, and research suggests it could harm your security and long-term plans. Whether you receive advice through social media or follow the financial decisions of friends, you could take more risk than is appropriate or miss out on opportunities. Read on to discover some of the potential perils of taking unregulated financial advice. Almost 14% of Brits use social media for financial guidance…
By London & Capital | 20 Sep, 2024 We are delighted to announce the appointment of Nicole Ralph as an Executive Director to our Private Wealth team. Nicole brings over 20 years of experience working with HNW US expats and their families. As a dual US/UK citizen, she has dedicated her career to helping US connected global households, like her own, navigate the complexities of this as individuals, families, mixed…
This commentary was adapted from episode 141 of the Health & Veritas podcast. H5N1 remains a major public health story, even if the press rarely covers it. We have had a concerning outbreak of H5N1 bird flu, also known as highly pathogenic avian influenza, since early this year. When I last gave an update in June, I mentioned that 10 farm workers, 100 million poultry, and 168 dairy herds had…
For many travel and logistics providers, workforce challenges have become an increasing source of anxiety. Labor shortages are frequent and labor costs are rising. Workforce planning missteps can result in reduced margins and degraded customer service. These workforce challenges affect more than three million people employed at the 40 top-grossing travel and logistics companies. Companies have limited control over the future cost and availability of labor. But proper strategies can…
How can we overcome change and learn to create a better experience at work—for ourselves and our teams? To launch us into Season Three of Learning Through Experience, my first guest explores with me the pedagogy of hope and transformation, focusing on interpersonal and group dynamics. As Dr. Lisa Lahey aptly put it during our conversation, “When we invest in our relationships and our own development, we pave the way…
The past cannot be changed, however, we can learn from it. Africa’s expectation, in particular of its rising younger generation, is to be treated with respect and fairness. Africa is embracing diversity while re-anchoring to its roots, writes Ibrahima Diagne in the second part of his reflections on Africa’s role in the emerging multipolar world (the part one is available here). Do not look where you fell, but where you…
Quick Hits In 2018, in-store sales consultants, who are predominantly female, argued that their work was of equal value to Next’s predominantly male warehouse-based workers. Next argued that the difference in pay rates was in response to market forces driven by the wider labour market. The Employment Tribunal ruled that a number of the differences in pay could not be justified. The total amount payable to the claimants by Next…
Three weeks ago, I dropped off my fourth and youngest child at college—the same school his mom and I both attended back in the ’90s. On the one hand, I was struck by how familiar it all felt. He now lives in the same dorm his mom did during her freshman year, which still has the familiar fluorescent lighting and linoleum floors. But as recognizable as his environment feels to…
Did you know that a survey found that the UK consumed the equivalent of 1.77 billion bottles of wine in 2020? Whether you’re a wine connoisseur or are looking to improve your knowledge by visiting a region known for its exquisite wines, these incredible destinations in Europe could be perfect for you. From the delicious amber wines of Kakheti, Georgia to the brilliant wine festivals of Plovdiv, Bulgaria, read on…
According to Forbes, one in five workers is working remotely and 98% of workers want to work remotely at least some of the time. Yet, despite the flexibility that hybrid and remote work offer, engagement is a major challenge. In fact, the 2023 State of Remote Work report by Buffer found that 27% of remote workers struggle with loneliness, and 16% have difficulty staying motivated. That’s a stark reminder that…