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

Setting up as a freelancer – Malta

Setting up as a self-employed individual can have several benefits. Some general advantages are the flexibility this setup offer. Being self-employed often allows for greater flexibility in terms of working hours and locations. You have more control over your schedule, which can be particularly beneficial for those who prefer a non-traditional work structure. As a self-employed individual, you are your own boss. This independence allows you to make decisions without…

  • Post category:Finance Malta
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A Unique Driver of the Sharing Economy: Belief in the Meritocracy

The technical term for platforms like AirBnb and Task Rabbit is “peer-to-peer exchanges,” but most people know them as part of the sharing economy. The sharing economy, or that part of commerce where individuals share their resources with others for a fee, has been around for thousands of years.  Tuck professor Nailya Ordabayeva teaches the core marketing course in the Tuck MBA program. She also teaches Marketing Principles for Creating…

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2024 business outlook – fortune favours the bold

2024 is only three weeks old, but it’s clear those waiting for a return to business as usual are missing the moment – and leaders focused on growth have good reason for the spring in their step. Turbulence is priced in Times have changed – turbulence in global affairs is here to stay. China’s rise & stall will not be without incident; Russia is testing the West’s will in Ukraine;…

  • Post category:Q5 Partners
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How risk leadership leads to better, more rational decisions

Dr. Annette Hofmann is a researcher, author, and leading expert in the field of organizational risk. In this interview with Bhavik Modi, Senior Director, BTS, Dr. Hofmann explains how moving beyond a traditional approach to risk and developing risk leadership competence can help companies become more resilient and profitable—and may even save lives. Bhavik Modi, Senior Director, Innovation and Digital Transformation at BTS Dr. Annette Hofmann, Director of the Lindner Center for…

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Huge Profits for State Electricity Suppliers

For many Swiss households, the new year brings higher electricity prices. Compared to 2023, electricity costs for a typical household (H4) will rise over 18 percent on average in 2024. The increase compared to 2021 – when costs began to rise quickly – will be 57 percent. And this, despite the fact that market prices have fallen considerably. Even futures, meaning the current price fixings for electricity supply in one…

  • Post category:Avenir Suisse
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Building Safety is all about the data

Last week saw further sections of the Building Safety Act 2022 (the Building Safety Act) come into force, which include the requirement for safety case reports to be completed. As we look at the key changes, it is timely to recall that when a panellist at the 2023 Association of Residential Managing Agents (ARMA) conference asked the audience to indicate whether they had prepared a building safety case report, only…

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USA Open Banking Regulation Arrives in the US

In 2010, Congress included a provision in the Consumer Financial Protection Act (CFPA) requiring that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) promulgate rules effectuating what is commonly referred to as “Open Banking.”   Specifically, the rules would require any entity that engages in offering or providing a consumer financial product or service to make available information concerning the financial products or services that the consumer received from the entity.…

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12 trends shaping the not-for-profit, charitable, and public sectors in 2024

What is on the horizon for 2024?  2023 was a year of change and challenge. The continuing cost-of-living crisis, yet another government reshuffle, high interest rates and tax burden, the rise of Artificial Intelligence, investment in renewable energy, and the resurfacing of enduring global conflicts – to name just a few! Charities, housing associations, health and care providers, councils, and other public bodies have had to manage increasing demand for their…

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Europe’s metals sector expresses its desire for independence

The consensus is clear: there will be no energy transition without strategic metals. Batteries, wind turbines and solar cells require large amounts of lithium, nickel, rare earths and other exotic elements. More broadly, strategic sectors like aerospace and defence are also dependent on critical resources whose suppliers have de facto life-or-death control over the relevant production chains. As per the recent example of the gradual exclusion of Russia (and its…

  • Post category:Credit Agricole
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But Will They Watch till the End?

If you’ve browsed the Internet recently, you’ve probably noticed a significant uptick in the number of video advertisements popping up. Your eyes are not deceiving you. In the past five years, the online video ad industry has grown from $24 billion to $74 billion in size, and now video ads make up almost a third of all digital advertising. What’s behind this rapid surge? The theory goes that video ads…

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AI Survey Reveals Financial Industry’s Top Trends for 2024

The financial services industry is undergoing a significant transformation with the adoption of AI technologies. NVIDIA’s fourth annual State of AI in Financial Services Report provides insights into the current landscape and emerging trends for 2024. The report reveals that an overwhelming 91% of financial services companies are either assessing AI or already using it in production. These firms are using AI to drive innovation, improve operational efficiency and enhance…

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Home-grown innovation investment for UK agri-food

British farmers and food producers started the new year with some good news from government. Labelling rules are to be clarified to help make UK products stand out more to consumers, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) announced. This ‘Buy British’ measure may be modest, but it aligns with wider forces at work in the ever-changing UK agri-food industry that are driving innovation and investment in domestic…

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Eight Essential Leadership Tips for 2024

As leaders consider which skills to focus on developing in 2024, change management and emotional intelligence might top the list. Even as leaders are called on to craft strategy around the use of artificial intelligence, the harder problems involve steering teams through all of the changes AI continues to bring. If you’re one of those leaders, you’ll need to not only retain but also inspire your best people in 2024.…

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NVIDIA CEO: ‘Every Industry Will Become a Technology Industry’

“This year, every industry will become a technology industry,” NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang told attendees Wednesday during the annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference. “You can now recognize and learn the language of almost anything with structure, and you can translate it to anything with structure — so text-protein, protein-text,” Huang said in a fireside chat with Martin Chavez, partner and vice chairman of global investment firm Sixth Street…

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Securing future: What is cashflow modelling and how can it help protect wealth

Cashflow modelling is an integral part of the wealth management process. Anyone whose wealth grows beyond a certain size will soon realise that this blessing comes with the need to handle an increased level of financial complexity. More money tends to mean more complications and losing track of your finances is a genuine risk. Robust cashflow modelling can bring much-needed clarity and help to ensure your future remains financially secure.…

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12 Great Pieces of Company-Building Advice We Heard in 2023

Times have gotten more challenging for many technology companies of all sizes. The easy-money era of low interest rates is over, and many investors are demanding more rigor from the companies they back. No more growth at all costs—software leaders must focus on smart growth, discipline and sustainable revenue in 2024 and beyond. Helping small startups and larger, more-mature tech companies scale to reach their potential is always tricky. Fortunately,…

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8 Top Trends in Employee Listening ad People Analytics for 2024

As we enter 2024, organizations continue to face issues such as manager effectiveness, workplace loneliness, layoffs, and worker well-being, while grappling with broader macroeconomic issues like inflation. These challenges are amplified in uncertain times, necessitating effective strategies for employee engagement and development. Here, we want to explore current trends in employee listening and people analytics that will shape the year to come, drawing insights from Perceptyx’s research and People@Work teams.…

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Key Considerations When Selling a UK Financial Services Business

The UK financial services sector is a complex and highly regulated industry, meaning the sale of a business needs to adopt an appropriate structure with expert legal and tax advice to ensure a smooth and compliant transaction. We highlight below the key legal considerations that sellers of financial services businesses should be aware of to assist with their transaction. Regulatory considerations Where a financial services business is regulated by the…

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How To Align What You Say With What You Do

There is often a gap between our good intentions and our actual behaviour – what we claim to do and how we act. Alarmingly, we're sometimes not even aware of the difference between what we think we're doing and what we're really doing. Aligning our actions with our intentions is challenging, as our unconscious mind can influence and even derail our behaviour and decision-making. While we may think our actions are…

  • Post category:INSEAD Knowledge
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Fostering innovation through psychological safety at work

Innovation is recognized as the zenith of success for companies. Oft heard phrases such as “innovate or die” (HBR) and “survival of the most innovative” (SmartStorming) are top of articles. Innovation, however, can often seem like a Sisyphean task — a boulder of progress pushed to the apex only to lose steam and revert to the status quo, or to a half-realized version of its original intent. It’s not a…

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Massachusetts Estate Tax Law Changes – What You Need to Know

As we ring in the New Year, now is a great time to take inventory of some important and comprehensive tax legislative changes that occurred in 2023. On October 4th, 2023, Governor Maura Healy signed into law Bill H. 4104, “An Act to improve the Commonwealth’s competitiveness, affordability, and equity” (“the Act”). The Act is the most sweeping and comprehensive tax bill in Massachusetts in decades, and it permits the…

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Do fixed-term independent contractors have a duty to mitigate?

Fixed-term contracts are often complex and can create risk. Companies looking to terminate fixed-term contracts with their independent contractors can breathe a bit easier after an Ontario appeal court found that, generally, independent contractors under fixed-term contracts have a duty to mitigate their damages. This diverges from the approach the same court has applied for employees. Trial Court – No duty to mitigate, like employees! In Monterosso v. Metro Freightliner…

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CHINA data protection regulations – a look back at 2023 developments

With 2023 having come to an end, the fast-paced changes to the China data protection regime throughout the year are continuing well into Q1 2024. Author: Venus Cheung, Carolyn Bigg, Amanda Ge, Gwyneth To As well as a near finalisation of the different routes to legitimise cross-border data transfers, the Cyberspace Administration of China (“CAC”) has begun to direct its efforts into harmonising its data compliance requirements across regions, as well as other…

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Stop Asking Candidates for Their Last-Drawn Salary

The practice of asking candidates to disclose their last-drawn salary to prospective employers has long been one of the more contentious aspects of the hiring process. While this remains a common request across many countries, certain states in the United States – including California and New York – have made it illegal. The European Union Pay Transparency Directive, which was established in early 2023, also prohibits employers from inquiring about a candidate’s…

  • Post category:INSEAD Knowledge
  • Reading time:9 mins read
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Missing Shareholder – what do we do?

What happens if you can’t contact a shareholder of your company? What does the disappearance of that shareholder mean for the operation of your company? Have the gears of your company ground to a halt as a result of the missing shareholder throwing a spanner in the works? Fear not, there are remedial actions and practical precautions that you can take to ensure the smooth operation of your company. Let’s…

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Close to the shore – Embracing patience and a low-risk equities portfolio

The role of a good asset manager is to protect and grow a client’s money. An obvious statement maybe, but one worth making – particularly when it comes to discussing equities. Stocks are often the most glamourous, headline-grabbing part of the investment universe. They loom large in the public imagination and feature heavily in popular culture. The stories we tell about companies and stocks are the core appeal of the…

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Craft a Thriving Culture for 2024 and Beyond!

The turn of the year often marks a time for personal resolutions, but what about resolutions for the workplace? According to Gallup, employee engagement in the U.S. saw its first annual decline in a decade — dropping from 36% of engaged employees in 2020 to 34% in 2021. How might a new culture shift impact this statistic? Well, take a moment to assess your current organizational culture. How would you…

  • Post category:Civility Partners
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Inflation in the eastern euro area: reasons and risks

10 January 2024By Matteo FalagiardaWithin the euro area, countries in central and eastern Europe have recently experienced the highest inflation rates. But why, exactly? The ECB Blog looks at the reasons for these higher prices and highlights the resulting risks and vulnerabilities.Since 2021 inflation in euro area countries in central and eastern Europe (EACEE) has significantly outpaced that of the euro area as a whole.[1] The differentials have narrowed in…

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The Best and Worst CEOs of 2023

With the new year comes our annual tradition of recognizing three CEOs for their accomplishments over the last 12 months—as well as three CEOs who are on the hot seat after a year of struggles. Such an effort at accountability can teach us a lot about the future, as glancing backward is often a valuable guide to the path forward. While there can be surprise technological and market disruptions, classical…

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‘Leaveism’ and ‘presenteeism’: Here’s how to be happier at work

Way back in February 2020, before most of us really knew anything about COVID, we wrote an article for The Conversation about “leaveism” and its impact on flexible working. Barely a month later, the world was bracing for a pandemic that would inadvertently create the largest (forced) working experiment of all time. by Cary Cooper and Ian Hesketh This was a great opportunity for researchers like us to watch how…

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2023: A year to remember for European banks

It has been an exciting year for Europe’s banking industry. Major central banks such as the ECB and the Bank of England continued to hike interest rates rapidly, to levels not seen since at least the financial crisis. This has led to wider interest margins and boosted the sector’s most important source of revenue, net interest income, by a staggering 26% yoy in the first three quarters of the year…

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Exploring the World Through a Lens: Steve McCurry and Samsung

Steve McCurry from the international photography collective Magnum Photos, the photographer behind the iconic “Afghan Girl” portrait, has played a significant role in contemporary photography for more than four decades. Through his lens, McCurry has documented world conflicts, vanishing cultures, ancient traditions and modern society in an expressive, personal way. From the bustling streets of India to active warzones in Afghanistan, McCurry’s photographs have always been more than mere images…

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Christine Lagarde: Euro at 25: the value of unity in a changing world

30 December 2023By Paschal Donohoe (President of the Eurogroup), Christine Lagarde (President of the European Central Bank), Roberta Metsola (President of the European Parliament), Charles Michel (President of the European Council) and Ursula von der Leyen (President of the European Commission)25 years ago, on 1 January 1999, the euro came into force as the single currency for 11 EU Member States. It now serves the economy and eases life for…

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Business Exodus from Russia Was No Bonanza for Putin

Sometimes, political reporters without a background in business journalism make egregious errors in their coverage of the business exodus from Vladimir Putin’s Russia—and even fall for the strongman’s Potemkin Village-like economic façade. A recent article, entitled “How Putin Turned a Western Boycott Into a Bonanza”, wrongly suggested that the historic business exits of over 1,000 multinational companies from Russia have somehow been a huge win for the Russian war effort,…

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Counterproductive Quota-Based Policy

Mira is 27 years old and comes from India. She studied computer science at ETH Zurich and graduated with a master’s degree. She feels integrated in Switzerland and would like to work here after graduating. Because IT specialists are in demand, she has no trouble finding a suitable position. However, because her potential employer is unable to justify why Mira’s employment is of great economic interest, she is not granted…

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Mastering Strategic Moves in the Workplace

Sports have a unique ability to inspire, unite, and elevate individuals and communities. I am one of them. It’s not just something fun to watch; it inspires me beyond the competition. It’s not only a game; it’s like a language that touches my heart. Sports are where dreams come alive, like a canvas waiting for stories, and a stage where heroes rise.  It all started when I was five. I…

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