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What the Companies That Predict the Future Do Differently

Harvard Business Review

Consider the example of a manufacturer of production equipment that collects sensor-based telemetry about its machines’ operations, the status of their parts, their performance, their resource consumption, and other data. The ultimate goal is to treat information as a tangible flow rather than an intangible asset stuck on the balance sheet.

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What It Will Take to Fix HR

Harvard Business Review

At the same time, alternative approaches to accessing capital and funding projects proliferated, forcing financial decision-making to become increasingly sophisticated. While we disagree with Charan’s solution, we think he’s on to something when he asserts that the best CHROs have line and/or operational business experience.

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Profiting from the Golden Rule

Harvard Business Review

Even accounting rules specifically dealing with reputation — goodwill and intangible assets — are subject to frequent rule changes and endless debate. When properly installed and operated, it delivers financial growth. Perhaps the accountants are just overcomplicating a basic idea.

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CVS’s Lesson: Carpe Diem

Harvard Business Review

Before being attacked for behavior that could easily be labled unsustainable, the company teamed up with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) a few years ago in a project to put all of the water back that they take out. In other words, they plan to become water neutral. They then told this to the world in a co-branded ad with the WWF.

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The Case for Stock Buybacks

Harvard Business Review

But these claims are very rarely backed up by large-scale evidence, and often driven by a misunderstanding of how buybacks actually operate. Investment only creates value if its returns are higher than the other projects shareholders could invest in. Such a nefarious use of corporate funds makes for great headlines.

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What Apple, Lending Club, and AirBnB Know About Collaborating with Customers

Harvard Business Review

True, customers can customize their M&Ms, build their own bikes with Trek Project One, create unique doors for their home at Jen-Weld, and design their own Nike running shoes. We recommend a five-step process called PIVOT: Pinpoint, Identify, Visualize, Operate, and Track. Operate your new co-creative digital business.

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Research: The Digitization of Banks Disproportionately Hurts Women Entrepreneurs

Harvard Business Review

As banks rush to digitize their operations , many have found that closing their local branches can help maintain a high return on an otherwise pricy transformation. These meetings allowed for the exchange of important information about the business model, intangible assets, future prospects, and more. reduction in a single year.