Sam Walton

There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else.

Asset Productivity: Converting Assets Into Profits

This paper presents A.T. Kearney’s perspective on the importance of asset productivity. It begins with an in-depth discussion on how good asset performance can increase shareholder value, drive profitable growth, help smooth an M&A and impel cost leadership. We then outline a three-dimensional approach to improving asset productivity. Rather than a typical patchwork-quilt solution, the approach is all-inclusive-looking at all aspects of the global firm; … [ Read more ]

E-Market Execution: A Value Based Framework

A number of factors, ranging from outside forces such as excessive competition to internal issues including the way the company adapts its business processes to take advantage of “e,” will determine whether a company’s investment in a net market pays off. But there’s good news here. Our client work shows that internal, controllable factors play a huge role in the end result. And of all … [ Read more ]

The Role of Pricing Strategy in Start-up Success

Sustaining a start-up in the digital economy is a delicate balancing act that requires taking into account the perspectives of a variety of stakeholders, including customers, suppliers, shareholders, investors, competitors, government and other entities. The goal of a start-up executive should be to create a business model that attains a stable state between all of these dimensions and adapts to changing times. Pricing strategy requires … [ Read more ]

Globalization Ledger™

The Globalization Ledgerâ„¢ offers a comprehensive analysis of global economic integration in 34 countries that comprise more than three-quarters of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP). Using a unique statistical gauge, the study ranks countries based upon the scope and pace of their integration with the world economy, then analyzes how they have fared against a range of social and economic indicators, including political freedom, … [ Read more ]

Reinventing the Store: Implementing Strategic Change at the Ground Level

Overturning an existing power structure is generally the business of revolutionaries-not retailers. But a few industry leaders are turning the traditional hierarchy upside down. They are shifting power from the corporate headquarters down to the individual stores. In doing so, they are tapping into and leveraging the ideas, talents and energy of the most important competitive weapon they have in their arsenal-their store teams.

When … [ Read more ]

The 2002 Value Creation Index: A Prescription for Pharmaceutical Health

The pharmaceutical industry is at a familiar crossroad: The forces that have rocked pharmaceutical companies over the past century are intensifying, and challenges from the new century are emerging at an equally intense pace. Companies are continuing to grapple with shorter periods of drug exclusivity, proliferation of generic competition, uncertain market growth for ethical products, and rising costs for research and development (R&D). At the … [ Read more ]

The Main Event: Best Practices for Managing Mega-Sports Events

For organizers of large-scale sports events, the pressure is significant. Today, as never before, the expectations for these events are on the rise, with each event raising the bar for the next. Political maneuvering and organizational effectiveness remain constant flashpoints, while new issues such as emerging technology and security concerns are forcing organizers to review their strategies and consider more innovative approaches.

A.T. Kearney experience … [ Read more ]

Measuring Globalization

“Unsatisfactory” is the word that best describes the contemporary debate over globalization. There seems to be a consensus that globalization – whether economic, political, cultural, or environmental – is defined by increasing levels of interdependence over vast distances. But few people have undertaken the task of actually trying to measure those levels of interdependence. For instance, how do we determine the extent to which a … [ Read more ]