6 Posts found for Author: Ian Davis

The causes of business demise—of a failure to endure—are well documented at a general level. They include failure to address changes in market demand or competition effectively; human failings such as hubris, exhaustion, or loss of ambition; loss of operational competitiveness; and above all an inability to deal with new, often disruptive, technological innovations. And sometimes, of course, external factors outside a company’s control, such … [ Read more ]

Content: Quotation | Author: Ian Davis | Source: McKinsey Quarterly | Subjects: Business Rules, Management, Organizational Behavior, Strategy

Companies get into trouble—or the financial markets get unduly agitated or frustrated—when there is a mismatch between natural industry cycles and investor, customer, or even employee horizons. A primary task of strategic management is to define the relevant planning cycles and to think about how to manage from one to the next.

Content: Quotation | Author: Ian Davis | Source: McKinsey Quarterly | Subjects: Management, Strategy

A company’s strategy should consist of a portfolio of initiatives that consciously embraces different time horizons. Companies do, of course, have different business units with distinct strategies. But few strategies direct a company in a way that will enable it to adapt to events and capitalize on opportunities as they arise. Some initiatives in the portfolio will influence short-term performance. Others will create options for … [ Read more ]

Content: Quotation | Author: Ian Davis | Source: McKinsey Quarterly | Subject: Strategy

McKinsey’s former managing director Ian Davis explores the phenomenon of long-lived companies and the values and practices they share.

Content: Article | Author: Ian Davis | Source: McKinsey Quarterly | Subjects: Management, Strategy

McKinsey’s former managing director Ian Davis offers to new CEOs advice distilled from his experience supporting executives during their transitions into the role.

Content: Article | Author: Ian Davis | Source: McKinsey Quarterly | Subjects: Corporate Governance, Leadership, Management

By building social issues into strategy, big companies can recast the debate about their role in society.

Content: Article | Author: Ian Davis | Source: McKinsey Quarterly | Subject: Social Responsibility (ESG)