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Innovation & Growth

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Parsing the growth advantage of emerging-market companies

May 2012—Surprisingly little of their edge is attributable to starting from a smaller revenue base. They also seem to invest more, allocate resources more fluidly, and spot fast-growing segments.more

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article | McKinsey Quarterly

Battle-test your innovation strategy

December 2012—Leading companies use war games to focus better on their competitors, while improving the way they identify, shape, and seize opportunities to innovate.more

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interview | McKinsey Quarterly

Starbucks’ quest for healthy growth: An interview with Howard Schultz

March 2011—The company once grew fast. Now CEO Howard Schultz wants it to grow with discipline—in emerging and developed markets alike.more

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The granularity of growth

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article | McKinsey Quarterly

Unlocking the potential of emerging-market cities

September 2012—Most companies still take a national or regional view when allocating resources for global growth. They should shift their focus to fast-growing cities.more

Do you have the right leaders for your growth strategies
article | McKinsey Quarterly

Do you have the right leaders for your growth strategies?

July 2011—It takes a mix of leaders and talent to pursue a variety of growth strategies simultaneously. Few executives can do it all.more

Drawing a new road map for growth
article | McKinsey Quarterly

Drawing a new road map for growth

April 2011—New findings show how large and small companies grow—and reveal the startling performance of emerging-market players.more

Is your emerging-market strategy local enough
article | McKinsey Quarterly

Is your emerging-market strategy local enough?

April 2011—The diversity and dynamism of China, India, and Brazil defy any one-size-fits-all approach. more

article | McKinsey Quarterly

The granularity of growth

May 2007—A fine-grained approach to growth is essential for making the right choices about where to compete.more

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Innovation

The perils of best practice Should you emulate Apple
article | McKinsey Quarterly

The perils of best practice: Should you emulate Apple?

September 2012—Outliers are exactly that. Duplicating their performance is harder than we might wish.more

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article | McKinsey Quarterly

A CEO’s guide to innovation in China

February 2012—Dynamic domestic players and focused multinationals are helping China churn out a growing number of innovative products and services. Intensifying competition lies ahead; here’s a road map for navigating it.more

Innovation lessons from Pixar An interview with Oscar-winning director Brad Bird
interview | McKinsey Quarterly

Innovation lessons from Pixar: An interview with Oscar-winning director Brad Bird

April 2008—What does stimulating the creativity of animators have in common with developing new product ideas or technology breakthroughs? A lot.more

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article | McKinsey Quarterly

Leadership and innovation

January 2008—McKinsey research reveals a wide gap between the aspirations of executives to innovate and their ability to execute. Organizational structures and processes are not the solution. more

book excerpt | McKinsey Quarterly

Innovation blowback: Disruptive management practices from Asia

February 2005—Western companies think too narrowly about the emerging world. If they aren’t careful, they may end up as defenders, not attackers.more

Timeless tips on growth

Sustaining top-line growth The real picture
article | McKinsey Quarterly

Sustaining top-line growth: The real picture

May 2011—A historical view shows that beating markets is tougher than most leaders believe.more

Enduring Ideas The three horizons of growth
article | McKinsey Quarterly

Enduring Ideas: The three horizons of growth

December 2009—In this interactive presentation—one in a series of multimedia frameworks—Steve Coley, a director emeritus in McKinsey’s Chicago office, describes the three horizons framework. Based on research into how companies sustain growth, this approach illustrates how to manage for current performance while maximizing future opportunities for growth.more

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article | McKinsey Quarterly

The do-or-die struggle for growth

August 2005—The largest corporations rarely sustain strong growth unless they compete in the right places at the right times.more

article | McKinsey Quarterly

Staircases to growth

November 1996—With revenue increases of 25 percent a year, how do the world’s best growth companies do it? A few steps at a time, each bringing options and new capabilities. No formulas, just astute bundling of competences, skills, assets, and relationships.more

Summary

Globalization, urbanization, and technological change are transforming innovation and growth. Explore the implications for senior leaders—and the enduring fundamentals.

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