Top Ten Newsletter | First Quarter 2014

1. Why leadership-development programs fail

Sidestepping four common mistakes can help companies develop stronger and more capable leaders, save time and money, and boost morale. more

2. What could happen in China in 2014?

The year ahead could see companies focus on driving productivity, CIOs becoming a hot commodity, shopping malls going bankrupt, and European soccer clubs finally investing in Chinese ones. McKinsey director Gordon Orr makes his annual predictions and discusses them in a related podcast. more

3. Big data: The next frontier for innovation, competition, and productivity

Big data will become a key basis of competition, underpinning new waves of productivity growth, innovation, and consumer surplus—as long as the right policies and enablers are in place. The accompanying interactive examines the state of digital data and the value that can potentially be unlocked. more

4. Next frontiers for lean

Lean-production techniques have been revolutionizing operations for 50 years. Advances in technology, psychology, and analytics may make the next 50 even more exciting. more

5. Why marketers should keep sending you e-mails

There’s a reason your inbox always seems jam-packed: e-mail marketing works. But companies can get smarter about ensuring every message counts. more

6. Disruptive technologies: Advances that will transform life, business, and the global economy

Twelve emerging technologies have the potential to truly reshape the world in which we live and work. Leaders in both government and business must not only know what’s on the horizon but also start preparing for its impact, argue this article and related podcast. more

7. The benefits—and limits—of decision models

Big data and models help overcome biases that cloud judgment, but many executive decisions also require bold action inspired by self-confidence. Here’s how to take charge in a clear-headed way. more

8. Next-shoring: A CEO’s guide

Proximity to demand and innovative supply ecosystems will trump labor costs as technology transforms operations in the years ahead. more

9. Bad to great: The path to scaling up excellence

Before senior executives try to spread best practices, they should use seven techniques to clear out the negative behavior that stands in the way. A related video interview with one of the authors reveals companies that have used them to great effect. more

10. Tapping the power of hidden influencers

A tool social scientists use to identify sex workers and drug users can help senior executives find the people most likely to catalyze—or sabotage—organizational-change efforts. more

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