Economic cycles and trends

In the middle of an economic and jobs crisis, why should any politician or executive focus on a "soft" issue like work-life policy? Most are thinking...

Republicans get more conservative, Democrats get more liberal.

Is America headed for a lost decade? And is that why I relentlessly propose that the days of industrial age business as usual are numbered? Yes — and no. In this short video post, here’s what I advance: America just had a lost decade (I’ve also compiled four troubling charts, available here, that lend credence […]

During boom times, deal-making is relatively easy. A rising tide lifts all boats … and the knowledge that there are lots of opportunities out there makes some negotiators forget that the deal is a way to get value, not an end in itself. You don’t have to look as far back as the excesses of […]

Given that we haven't figured out how to avoid business cycles, we're going to have a recession eventually. And given what's happening in the housing...

It's clear that the Democrats and Republicans will go up to - and probably past - the deadline in their negotiations about a new debt limit. This is a...

Today, The Washington Post debuts a new Web-based discussion series called “On Leadership,” and I am pleased to be part of a panel of thinkers who will weigh in every Tuesday on a timely question or challenge. This morning’s question: What should Detroit’s CEOs have done differently to make their case in Washington about a […]

It's about knowing how to reallocate - and deallocate - resources.

Russia invaded Ukraine just as pressures on the U.S. economy appeared to have peaked.

Edward Bernays, the “father of public relations,” once defined PR as “a program of action to earn public understanding and acceptance.” If that is the case today, the CEOs of the Big 3 automakers remain challenged on both aspects. Having taken private jets to their first round of testimony, they came off as both unprepared […]

Can companies actually grow stronger during a recession? What can they do to capitalize on the problems that their rivals encounter during tough economic times? Suppose you have a sturdy balance sheet, low debt, and plentiful amounts of cash. How can you employ these strengths to take on rivals who have been weakened considerably? I’m […]

And what it will take to continue.

Reform is about fairness, efficiency, and simplicity - and it should be bipartisan.

With cases like Citizens United and McCutcheon, the U.S. is slouching towards oligarchy.

Recent headlines — Citigroup’s layoffs, Iceland’s sudden downturn, worldwide food shortages, etc. — suggest serious global turmoil is ahead. All companies, and multinationals in particular, should be prepared to withstand it. Unfortunately, many are not. Traditional forecasting and budgeting systems produce linear projections insufficient for risky, uncertain times. What’s needed is scenario planning, where companies […]

How do some entrepreneurs, corporate innovators, and investors turn adverse conditions to competitive advantage? Chakravorti, of McKinsey and Harvard...

Policymakers are victims of their own success.

My hope in this presidential election is that more attention would be devoted to how we are going to make a living in the future. The United States was...

With unemployment above 10 percent the federal government is considering another stimulus package in an effort to create or save more jobs. The idea of spending more stimulus money gives us pause. We do believe that stimulus money can truly stimulate the economy, but only if the money is spent in a financially intelligent way, […]

Learn, relearn, unlearn, repeat. It’s vital for U.S. competitiveness, and your own.