McKinsey Quarterly 2019 Issue 4
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Transformation

Explores why companies should go “all in” on transformations, looks at innovation and performance, and explains how talent is key to digital transformations.

The truth about transformation

Article - McKinsey Quarterly

Why your next transformation should be ‘all in’
– Improve the odds of a successful business transformation by going “all in” to kick-start performance and remake your portfolio.
Article - McKinsey Quarterly

The numbers behind successful transformations
– Crunching the numbers on transformations suggests good news for companies that go broad, move fast and renew often, prioritize health, and keep stretching their aspirations.

Innovation’s transformative role

Article - McKinsey Quarterly

The innovation commitment
– To catalyze breakthrough growth, leaders must set bold aspirations, make tough choices, and mobilize resources at scale.
Interview - McKinsey Quarterly

Speak softly, make tough decisions: An interview with Alibaba Group chairman and CEO Daniel Zhang
– The chairman and CEO of China’s e-commerce giant describes Alibaba’s approach to innovation and how he balances analytics and instinct to push himself to spot hidden opportunities.

Advancing advanced technologies

Article - McKinsey Quarterly

Digital transformation: Improving the odds of success
– Most digital transformations don’t yield the benefits that leaders expect. New research shows that five practices maximize the chance of extraordinary outcomes.
Article - McKinsey Quarterly

The analytics academy: Bridging the gap between human and artificial intelligence
– As organizations rebuild their foundations to compete in the era of data and advanced analytics, in-house capability-building programs offer the best way to train workers up to the task.

Shifting the organization

Article - McKinsey Quarterly

The helix organization
– Separating people-leadership tasks from day-to-day business leadership can help organizations strike a better balance between centralization and decentralization, reduce complexity, and embrace agility.
Interview - McKinsey Quarterly

How the British Army’s operations went agile
– Military commanders have had to change the way they operate in the field. Corporate executives should take note.

How society is reshaping business

Article - McKinsey Quarterly

Five ways that ESG creates value
– Getting your environmental, social, and governance (ESG) proposition right links to higher value creation. Here’s why.
Article - McKinsey Quarterly

Answering society’s call: A new leadership imperative
– How do transparency, empathy, and meaning work in practice?
Commentary - McKinsey Quarterly

‘Don’t be the villain’: Niall Ferguson looks forward and back at capitalism in crisis
– The roots of discontent with global capitalism run deep, according to the historian. By looking back, business leaders can get a clearer view of what’s coming.

Research, trends, and emerging thinking

Article - McKinsey Quarterly

Redefining the power industry
– Quick takes on the pressures posed by climate change—and potential responses.
Article - McKinsey Quarterly

Automation and economic disparity: A new challenge for CEOs
– The automation age could widen economic disparities between high-growth cities and struggling rural areas, thus affecting where companies hire, invest, and locate.
Article - McKinsey Quarterly

Bias busters: Getting both sides of the story
– How can the CEO break employees’ silence and get the critical input needed to make the right strategic moves?