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In the United States, HR management is perceived as a narrow specialty. In Japan, it's a place to go to get ahead.

Unilever applies the principles of feature film directing and editing to turn so-so commercials into winners.

The trend is to downsize corporate headquarters--but sometimes a bigger HQ is better.

The furor over offshoring knowledge work is a tempest in a teapot.

Consumers make clear and consistent distinctions among sizes.

The "broken windows" theory of crime prevention--pay attention to the details--pertains to companies, too.

Earnings have stagnated for people in the world's middle-wage countries.

Your choice of typeface tells customers whether your brand is attractive, innovative, dishonest, or unpleasant.

Decisions about talent should be made with the same rigor and logic as decisions about money, customers, and technology.

Companies want to be flexible, but they're not flexible about people's time.

Femtosecond lasers will revolutionize processes in a variety of industries.

Ronald W. Dollens recently retired from the positions of CEO and president of Guidant Corp., an Indianapolis-based medical technology manufacturer. Dollens was appointed CEO and president of Guidant when the company was formed as a split-off of Eli Lilly and Co. in 1994. During his 10 years of leadership at Guidant, the firm grew at an average of 18% per year, from just under $900 million in sales in 1994 to $3.7 billion in 2003. Today, Guidant employs more than 12,000 and is an industry leader in cardiovascular technology.

The American system of distribution is dysfunctional, favoring the interests of huge retail chains at the expense of manufacturers. Accustomed to working in this imbalanced system, American managers think they have no choice but to cede control of distribution by placing it into the hands of megadistributors and, for the most part, they are correct. However, in high-growth emerging markets, distribution channels are still malleable, providing manufacturers with the opportunity to shape and mold the way distribution takes place. Argues that firms should lay aside their dysfunctional patterns of dealing with distributors when they leave America and regain control over their products and operations in international markets.

Viral marketing uses electronic communications to trigger brand messages throughout a widespread network of buyers. Often, the process is portrayed as a random, ground-up phenomenon over which marketers have little control. But an examination of successful viral marketing cases reveals a number of strategies underpinning this chaotic phenomenon, providing insight into how marketers can use it to position their brands, change their image, and increase adoption rates. Successful viral marketing campaigns have an engaging message that involves imagination, fun, and intrigue; encourages ease of use and visibility; targets credible sources; and leverages combinations of technology.

Letting customers organize your information the way they want is a cool benefit today but will be a necessity tomorrow, says Harvard Law School Internet scholar David Weinberger.

What's an oligonomy? A market with few sellers and few buyers, says market watchdog Steve Hannaford, and Wal-Mart controls the most notorious one.

By rotating key executives through headquarters, companies can keep corporate lean but still hold sway over the units, says BCG Senior VP George Stalk, Jr.

Bain consultants Ann Chen and Vijay Vishwanath offer three key strategies multinationals can use to expand from China's premium segment into the broader market.

Truly new ideas spawn original language, but where new management ideas should be, there are too many cliches borrowed from other fields. We deserve better, argues HBR senior editor Leigh Buchanan.

As multinationals decrease their direct investment in low-wage markets, they're opening the door to dangerous competitors, says Deloitte consultant Peter Koudal.