current issue: November / December 2011
by Stephen Bernhut
When it seems that the economic gods have hit the pause button – aka ordained that the economy shall now be sluggish -- senior executives can either hunker down, look over their shoulder or look around -- for a strategy that will enable their firm to pull itself up and out of the rut of stagnation, onto a trajectory of modest, single-digit growth.
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features
The Emergent Way: How to achieve meaningful growth in an era of flat growth
by Karl MooreWhile there is much to be said for being proactive, the best strategy for today’s slow-growth, volatile environment may be one that is essentially reactive, a strategy in which CEOs, like some great athletes, allow the game – in...
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Achieving growth by setting new strategies for new markets
by Stephen WunkerCapturing new markets is an excellent way to grow. But if such markets were easy to crack, they would not hold so much potential for profit. By using strategies appropriate for this unique business environment, companies can vastly improve...
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Where Do We Grow From Here? Growing an entrepreneurial business in a flat economy
by Colleen McMorrowBuilding from within isn’t necessarily a new approach, but in a flat-growth environment it represents a meaningful growth opportunity for entrepreneurial organizations. Readers of this article will learn what strategies and tactics they can develop and deploy to grow...
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The Toyota recall: Missing the Forest for the Trees
by Jeffrey K. Liker and Timothy N. OgdenA sticky accelerator pedal last year tarnished the once-vaunted reputation of the Toyota Motor Corporation. These authors, who have written two widely acclaimed books on Toyota, argue – successfully – that the pedal’s stickiness was caused not by relaxed...
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Courage in leadership: From the battlefield to the boardroom
by Peter VoyerThe battlefield may be a crucible for all manner of success in life. Survive, and you’re likely agile, decisive, quick thinking and – above all, courageous. And that courage manifests itself not just in a firefight. As this Ivey PhD and battle-tested Canadian Forces officer writes, courage means much more than bravery…
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Enabling innovation and its implementation
by Joanne ReidThere has always been considerable discussion about the need for more support for innovation in Canada. This author has gone beyond the discussion to ask leaders what it will take to remove the obstacles to developing a culture of...
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More women in senior roles: If only companies really wanted it
by Gerry Purcell and Shirley KnightPromoting women to C-Suite positions and nominating them to sit on boards are goals that are still, for the most part, a long way from being realized. As these authors underline, responsibility for stepping up to meet these goals...
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The transition to IFRS: Erasing pension losses
by Christine Wiedman and Darren HendersonThe transition to IFRS in 2011, and new pension rules coming into effect in 2013 bring increased transparency for Canadian companies with large defined-benefit pension plans. This means that the financial health and related risks will be more openly...
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Pricing strategy: Piercing the veil of value exchange
by Tim J. SmithConventional management wisdom suggests that price should reflect value. But what is the value that prices should reflect? And just whose perception of value should determine price? As these questions and the answers to them suggest, pricing is no...
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