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The Real Reasons Companies Are So Focused on the Short Term

Harvard Business Review

Investors punish companies with a short-term orientation by applying higher discount rates to them, which increases the cost of capital for those companies. In contrast, companies with a long-term orientation are rewarded with a lower cost of capital, which allows them to afford more innovation—a virtuous cycle.

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Why Traditional M&A Is Becoming Less Important

Harvard Business Review

Mr. Rockefeller’s business strategy was to vertically integrate every aspect of the oil business (exploration, development, logistics, marketing) to assure an ongoing competitive advantage. The most successful will develop clear joint goals and an entrepreneurially enabled management style that focuses more on outcomes than on control.