While much literature on strategic agility has focused on strategic flexibility and adaption at organizational levels, there is a need to provide specific guidance at lower, more discrete levels of analysis. This article focuses on the context of a particular professional group, executive information technology (IT) leaders, who have received attention in recent years for their evolving strategic role at the forefront of firms. It identifies and illustrates a number of practices these actors demonstrate in building and maintaining strategic agility, and it concludes by conceptualizing these practices in an agenda and framework for managers.

Emerging market companies create new management practices for an environment characterized by increased volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA). This article shows how Haier developed a platform of management practices called Rendanheyi to transform itself from a conventional hierarchical manufacturing firm to a highly responsive online-based entrepreneurial company. It demonstrates how the organizational, competitive, institutional, and technological contexts mattered for the development of Rendanheyi, showing how context-dependent management innovations are created to allow emerging market firms such as Haier to deal with a high VUCA world and creating an extended process model of management innovation that managers can readily apply.

The sharing economy has emerged in recent years as a disruptive approach to traditional business models. Drawing on a multi-year research program and a design-based methodology, this article introduces a framework and generative tool called the Sharing Business Model Compass. As an actionable framework, the Compass helps elucidate the multiple, innovative forms sharing economy businesses are adopting. As a generative tool, it enables entrepreneurs, investors, incubators, and incumbents interested in entering the sharing economy to create, present, and evolve a compelling sharing business model as well as evaluate its extent of robustness.

Hop Compost (Hop) was a Canadian start-up that took food scraps destined for landfill and converted them to an organic, highly nutrient compost using novel, licensed technology. The company was approaching the end of its first year and facing two decisions. First, it had to decide whether to pursue third-party accreditation for its environmental and social impact. The accreditation would demand time and money but could help Hop with its growth plans. Second, the company's founder wondered how to position Hop's environmental and social impact to appeal to potential investors, who would be primarily interested in financial returns.

On April 26, 2017, Suniva Incorporated, a Chinese-owned U.S. manufacturer of solar cells and panels, filed a Section 201 trade case seeking protection-specifically, temporary relief-from foreign manufacturers of crystalline silicon photovoltaic (CSPV) cells and modules. U.S. trade law permits the president of the United States to grant some form of temporary relief against foreign imports that are found to officially injure a domestic industry. The filing ignited a firestorm of controversy in the solar industry inside and outside of the U.S. The sought-after protection was opposed by many renewable energy interest groups, including most of the U.S. solar energy industry itself. Opponents believed that a tariff on CSPV cells and modules would cost more jobs than they would save and, even with import protection, there was no future for CSPV manufacturing in the U.S.

In the spring of 2018, Israel was set to celebrate its 70th anniversary. While there was much to rejoice in reaching this milestone, the country's brand image internationally was far from ideal. Past efforts to impact perceptions of Israel, spearheaded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as various Jewish organizations, were mainly aimed at "explaining" Israel's political position and convincing the world that the country was acting in a just manner. However, a series of seminal market research studies revealed that many people in the U.S. and Europe primarily associated Israel with military imagery, held views of the country as steeped in conflict, and believed its people were devoutly religious and unwelcoming. Making matters worse, many expressed an indifferent attitude towards the country and felt that Israelis were dissimilar to them. In an attempt to change the situation, several individuals and entities embarked on various initiatives aimed at branding Israel differently and "broadening the conversation" about the country. These efforts included: generating a brand book for Israel that suggested a guiding brand position of "creative energy"; inviting social media influencers to partake in trips focused on lifestyle interests; generating appealing, non-conflict related content linked to Israel and attracting online viewers to the content; appointing a goodwill ambassador to communicate the culture and day-to-day life in Israel; and multiple measures to draw in more tourists (Jewish and non-Jewish) to the country. Taking stock of these efforts revealed a mixed picture at best, and it was unclear whether Israel's brand image among international audiences was indeed shifting in the intended direction. Several observers were further worried that the younger generation was finding Israel even less relevant and urged for devising a new approach.

In 2013, the Swiss sports data company Sportradar debated whether to expand from its core business of data provision to bookmakers into sports media products. Sports data was becoming a commodity, and in the future, sports leagues might reduce their dependence on third-party data feeds such as Sportradar's, prefering to develop data services in-house. Thus, CEO Carsten Koerl believed the company needed to branch into sports media, not just supplying data to companies, but finding ways to tell stories about that data. However, Sportradar's core business was thriving, whereas a recent attempt to branch out into video player tracking systems had proved a costly failure. The team weighed the pros and cons of various media ventures, including online sports betting minigames, a social media site, and streaming of sports content.

This note discusses how to analyze a bank from the point of view of an equity analyst or investor. The note begins by reviewing the evolution of North American banks from narrow to diversified financial institutions and then describes the financial ratios used to evaluate a bank's operating and financial performance. The final section provides examples of these ratios applied to a North American bank, and a set of Canadian and U.S. banks.

In 2016, the Japanese company Toyota Tsusho Corporation (TTC) acquired the remaining shares of the French trading company Compagnie Française de l’Afrique Occidentale (CFAO), which was operating in Africa. That same year, TTC registered its first financial loss in 16 years. Several years earlier, in 2012, TTC had participated in CFAO’s equity as its majority shareholder. These strategic moves were all part of TTC’s corporate campaign Vision 2015, "Lead the Next", which aimed specifically to reduce its dependence on its parent group by diversifying to increase earnings from non-automotive businesses, rather than targeting African markets as a long-term sustainability plan. What were the motivations of TTC and CFAO in pursuing these transactions? Was the positive performance that followed the acquisition a result of synergies or just a simple sum of the consolidation and an industry trend? Why did TTC move from preserving CFAO’s operational autonomy in 2012 to delisting and fully internalizing it in 2016? Was there a link between poor performance in 2016 and the acquisition of CFAO? How should CFAO solve the conflict between its existing automotive customers and the Toyota Group as its main rival? How could CFAO defend its leader position from the entry of major competitors from South Korea, India, and China? Although the Vision 2015 campaign was validated, should TTC revise its global vision strategy and 10-year plan in the future, given its bad year in 2016?

The case describes the scenario that faced Thijs Thijssen and Brother Isaac, co-CEOs of the Netherlands-based La Trappe Brewery, in 2015 as they considered how to consolidate the success they had had with the business since Thijssen had joined the organisation in 2005 and build on this success for the future. Sales had risen throughout 2013 and 2014 and La Trappe had been exporting its beer to markets outside the Netherlands for a few years, with exports now making up 40% of the company's revenue. This rise in revenue had allowed the brewery to expand capacity and facilities again, and in 2014 they had stopped producing beer under licence for Bavaria, another Netherlands-based brewing company, from whom they received a share of royalties on sales. Thijssen now calculated that the brewery could potentially double the production of La Trappe beers within the existing buildings and facilities. To prepare for the future, Thijssen and Brother Isaac wanted to map out the company's strategy, in a way that could be understood by all employees. One pertinent issue was their use of foreign agents to secure exports. These were sometimes difficult to vet in terms of whether they were using channels and methods consistent with La Trappe's brand and vision; in New Zealand, for example, Thijssen had discovered that the agent had no contacts in bars and restaurants, but instead went directly to retail, a model La Trappe had eschewed in the Netherlands in order to protect brand identity. To sort out these issues and establish a clear path to sustainable growth, Thijssen and Brother Isaac began the process of mapping out a future strategy, with the help of executives from Bavaria. One question in particular vexed Thijssen: he could not figure out why the brewery had grown so rapidly over the last six years, given the challenging economic climate. It seemed very counter-intuitive.

The case series describes strategic transformation at Takeda, the largest Japanese pharmaceutical company, with a special focus on the R&D function. Since 2015, the 237-year-old industry doyen has narrowed its strategic focus from six to three therapeutic areas, reorganised its global R&D footprint around one Japanese and two US sites, and engaged in over 180 new partnerships across multiple modalities of drug discovery around the world. The pipeline of new drugs, a key gauge of future growth, has shifted from 7% partner-based pre-transformation to approximately 45% partner-based today, and an entrepreneurial, geocentric way of working has taken hold. At Takeda, a generation's worth of strategic transformation has been compressed into three years.From the outset of the transformation process, outgoing Chairman Yasu Hasegawa and incoming CEO Christophe Weber made it a point to sound out major shareholders and engage candidly with the union, working with different stakeholders to find novel organisational solutions. Once plans crystallised in 2016, Hasegawa and Weber moved to reconstitute the board of directors, changing its composition and renegotiating its modus operandi to further strategic dialogue. During the course of the same year, the executive team was recast around people - internal and external - who had the skills and the mindset to take the company forward on its new path. Early in 2017, executives finally initiated a review and adjustment of existing structures in R&D, particularly as they pertained to the burgeoning partnership portfolio. In other words, Takeda stands out not only as a rare example of a large company reinventing itself, but also as a case that illustrates the importance of proactively addressing the governance of transformation.

The case series describes strategic transformation at Takeda, the largest Japanese pharmaceutical company, with a special focus on the R&D function. Since 2015, the 237-year-old industry doyen has narrowed its strategic focus from six to three therapeutic areas, reorganised its global R&D footprint around one Japanese and two US sites, and engaged in over 180 new partnerships across multiple modalities of drug discovery around the world. The pipeline of new drugs, a key gauge of future growth, has shifted from 7% partner-based pre-transformation to approximately 45% partner-based today, and an entrepreneurial, geocentric way of working has taken hold. At Takeda, a generation's worth of strategic transformation has been compressed into three years.From the outset of the transformation process, outgoing Chairman Yasu Hasegawa and incoming CEO Christophe Weber made it a point to sound out major shareholders and engage candidly with the union, working with different stakeholders to find novel organisational solutions. Once plans crystallised in 2016, Hasegawa and Weber moved to reconstitute the board of directors, changing its composition and renegotiating its modus operandi to further strategic dialogue. During the course of the same year, the executive team was recast around people - internal and external - who had the skills and the mindset to take the company forward on its new path. Early in 2017, executives finally initiated a review and adjustment of existing structures in R&D, particularly as they pertained to the burgeoning partnership portfolio. In other words, Takeda stands out not only as a rare example of a large company reinventing itself, but also as a case that illustrates the importance of proactively addressing the governance of transformation.

When he was a law student at Cambridge University, the author sat in a classic British pub one evening wondering whether to have a too-fizzy lager or a too-heavy ale. He longed to create a more balanced beer that would pair well with food, especially the spicy curries from his native India. Something cold and refreshing but also smooth. He started experimenting, mixing brews that were then on the market to find the right blend. While on tour in India with his Cambridge polo team, he saw an opportunity to gain some business experience: He could sell Indian-made polo sticks in the UK. After being introduced by chance to India's largest independent brewer, he collaborated with its brewmaster to find the right recipe--and then drove around the UK in a battered old Citroen to market his beer to Indian restaurants. Eventually the Indian brewery could no longer cope with increasing sales, so Cobra moved production to the UK. Then, after the company weathered what the author calls three "existential" crises, Molson Coors agreed in 2009 to a joint venture with Cobra, which now exports to nearly every European country along with Japan, Canada, and Australia.

While most business leaders recognize that bureaucracy squashes initiative, risk taking, and creativity, it continues to thrive. In a complex global environment, it's seen as a necessary coping mechanism. Many look to start-ups for an answer. But the most promising solution may have emerged in an unlikely place: the world's largest appliance maker, Haier. Under a renegade CEO, it has been divided into 4,000 self-managing microenterprises. About 250 are market facing ("users"), and the rest ("nodes") supply them with components and services like IT and HR support. Users can hire and fire nodes--or contract with outside providers--as they see fit, and nodes' revenues are tied to their users' success. Ultimately, everyone is accountable to the company's customers. Everyone is also encouraged to be an entrepreneur. All targets are ambitious, and rewards are tiered, performance based, and potentially hefty. So far that formula seems to be working beautifully, producing 18% yearly revenue growth for a decade and $2 billion in market value from new ventures.

Disruptive change poses existential challenges to leadership teams, raising foundational questions about aspirations, identity, and the very soul of a company. So it is no surprise that leadership teams often struggle to achieve alignment on what degree of growth is needed and what markets and types of innovations to invest in. This article provides a novel and practical road map for achieving leadership alignment. It offers tools to help executive teams establish a foundation of common understanding, expose misalignment, and catalyze decision making through physical exercises. The approach is illustrated through the example of Swisscom, a global telecom facing stagnation and decline in a mature industry. Using the program, it converged on a clear long-term growth strategy, launching a set of innovative ventures, creating a VC-like group to oversee new innovation investments, and locking in a schedule of annually increasing funding.

Lately, people analytics--using statistical insights from employee data to manage talent--has gotten a lot of hype and even won mainstream acceptance. Yet most firms lack an understanding of which talent dimensions drive performance in their organizations. Why? Their analytics examine only the "attributes" of employees, when people's "interactions" are equally, if not more, telling. Research shows that a lot of employees' success can be explained by their relationships--something that's the focus of a new discipline, "relational analytics." The key is finding "structural signatures": patterns in social networks that predict who will have good ideas, which employees have the most influence (it's not senior leaders), which teams will be efficient, which will innovate best, where silos exist, and which employees firms can't afford to lose. This article describes what indicators to watch for and how most firms already have the raw material they need to build relational analytics models: the "digital exhaust" from their internal communications.

Customer service jobs are notoriously joyless, and callers' experiences with reps can be just as unsatisfying. But T-Mobile has a new operating model that's making both employees and customers happier. There are no rows of service agents robotically responding to random calls as quickly as possible. Instead, T-Mobile relies on colocated, collaborative teams of reps who manage specific accounts in a given locale, with a focus on autonomous problem solving. Reps get more-comprehensive training, managers get more time for coaching, and team members are evaluated on group performance as well as individual performance. Additionally, teams are authorized and expected to manage their own P&L statements. The results are impressive: In three years, T-Mobile has dramatically reduced its customer churn rate, cost to serve, and employee attrition and absenteeism. Its Net Promoter Score is way up too. Other companies might likewise benefit from similar efforts to rethink standard industry practices.

Senior leaders have great confidence in their ability to develop innovations, say the authors, but not in their ability to commercialize them. This may result from a lack of formal processes and effective talent-management strategies. Steenburgh and Ahearne suggest a new approach: Assess the skills of your salespeople systematically. Train them for knowledge and resilience rather than focusing on a product's bells and whistles. Create a psychological profile of the ideal buyer. And assign strategic account managers to your most important customers. When new products are launched, the authors write, the best companies are strategically aligned, from the sales force to the C-suite. HR creates competency maps and works with sales managers to establish training and coaching programs. Frontline sales managers support the learning process that their reps go through in the field. And top leaders make sure that pressure to meet earnings targets doesn't stand in the way of future growth.

Digital advances in the past two decades have enabled more people than ever before to express creative intelligence. Yet apart from the transformation of services powered by mobile apps and the internet, few sectors have seen spectacular surges of innovation--and only 43% of companies have what experts consider a well-defined process for it. In this article the authors present a five-part framework to guide the development and ensure the survival of breakthrough ideas: Focus attention closely and with fresh eyes, step back to gain perspective, imagine unorthodox combinations, experiment quickly and smartly, and navigate potentially hostile environments outside and within the organization. The elements of this framework are not unique, but collectively they capture the critical role of reflection in conceiving opportunities, the ways in which digital tools can advance them, and the level of organizational reinvention needed in the final push to market.