The Secrets to a Good Employee Survey
The Economist article outlines best practices for crafting effective employee surveys, stressing the need for a clear purpose, anonymity, brevity, and actionable follow‑up. It cites research that short, transparent surveys achieve higher response rates and more reliable data. The piece warns against common pitfalls such as leading questions, overly long questionnaires, and data overload. It also highlights modern survey platforms that automate analysis while protecting respondent confidentiality.
Why AI Has Not yet Upset India’s IT Industry
India’s IT sector posted a record $315 bn revenue forecast, a 6 percent rise, yet its Nifty IT index fell about 20 percent after a viral blog warned AI coding tools could eliminate jobs. Nasscom highlighted the growth, but investors reacted nervously to...
How Zara Fought Off H&M and Shein
Zara marked its 50th anniversary with a high‑gloss campaign that borrowed luxury‑fashion aesthetics, hiring renowned photographer Steven Meisel and top models. The move signals a deliberate shift from pure fast‑fashion pricing to a more aspirational brand image. By pairing upscale...
Nvidia Is Expanding Its Empire
At Nvidia’s GTC conference in San Jose, CEO Jensen Huang unveiled a suite of new AI‑focused chips, models, and systems ranging from space‑based data centres to autonomous‑vehicle platforms. The rollout featured the Hopper‑X GPU and next‑generation accelerators aimed at both...
War May Bring Lasting Change to the Airline Business
The ongoing Middle East conflict has disrupted the Gulf’s role as a global aviation super‑connector, forcing Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways to curtail services. A recent drone strike at Dubai International Airport compelled Emirates to cancel flights and even reroute...
Trouble Is Brewing Among America’s Corporate Borrowers
Surging energy prices are tightening cash flows for U.S. corporations, raising default risk across leveraged borrowers. Recent bankruptcies of auto‑industry firms Tricolor Holdings and First Brands illustrate how sector‑specific stress can spill into broader credit markets. Private‑credit manager Blue Owl...
In Praise of Grunt Work
AI is widely touted to take over repetitive, low‑skill tasks across enterprises. The article argues that while automating expense reports, spreadsheet copying, and PowerPoint formatting can free time, it also risks stripping employees of valuable learning and oversight functions. Grunt...
In Trump’s World, Companies Seek Insurance Against Political Risk
President Donald Trump’s recent military actions in Iran, a rapid raid on Venezuela, and broader geopolitical tensions have prompted multinational corporations to reassess exposure to political upheaval. Companies across energy, finance, and logistics are increasingly turning to political risk insurance...
Why Corporate Lawyers Always Win
The piece argues that corporate lawyers have become the dominant force on Wall Street, eclipsing accountants, consultants and bankers. Profits per lawyer at the 100 largest firms have surged 54 % since 2019, while hourly billing rates have risen at more...
How Gap Is Trying to Get Its Cool Back
Gap Inc. is leveraging its 1990s heritage to revive brand relevance, spotlighting iconic archive imagery while launching a fresh, music‑video‑style campaign. The new ad features Katseye, a Gen Z girl group, designed for short‑form platforms like TikTok. Within days, teens began...
A New Wave of Disrupters Takes on American Health Care
Silicon Valley’s newest wave of health‑tech startups is targeting America’s $5 trillion, fragmented medical system. Patients increasingly skip or delay care because of cost, with roughly one‑third reporting financial barriers. These disrupters are leveraging artificial intelligence to streamline diagnosis, pricing transparency,...
China’s AI Giants Are Handing Out Cash to Lure in Users
Chinese AI giants distributed roughly 8 bn yuan in cash coupons during the Lunar New Year to spur downloads of their latest AI applications. The incentives target users willing to try “agentic” bots that can execute tasks like ordering meals via voice...
Giorgio Armani’s Bizarre Will Has Caused a Rift at His Fashion Label
Giorgio Armani’s death in September 2026 revealed a will packed with eccentric assets—from elephant tusks to Japanese rugs—and unexpected beneficiaries, including a personal aide granted millions in securities and yacht access. The document has sparked a leadership rift within the...
The Elusive Czech at the Centre of European Business
Daniel Kretinsky still believes in the old continent—but fears its lack of pragmatism
When Management Mantras Help—And when They Hurt
Management mantras act as cultural shortcuts that embed core values and simplify decision‑making. Classic examples like “garbage in, garbage out” or Charlie Munger’s incentive warning help align teams around shared principles. However, when applied rigidly, mantras can suppress nuance, discourage...
Don’t Be Fooled. AI Bosses Are Regular Capitalists
A court fight between Elon Musk and OpenAI has pulled back the corporate curtain on the AI sector’s capitalist roots. Musk alleges OpenAI abandoned its original non‑profit charter and demanded a massive payout, citing its lucrative partnership with Microsoft as...
How IBM Became an AI Darling
IBM has reinvented itself once again, emerging as a leading AI player after decades of strategic pivots. The company moved from mainframe hardware to IT services in the 1990s and off‑loaded its PC business to Lenovo in 2005, freeing capital...
Silicon Valley Wades Into a Trade Spat with South Korea
Coupang, South Korea’s e‑commerce powerhouse with $35 bn in sales, suffered a massive data breach that has escalated into a diplomatic dispute. U.S. officials, backed by allies in the Trump administration, are pressing for tighter security controls on the firm’s handling...
How Porn Stars Can Survive in the Age of AI
The AVN Adult Entertainment Expo highlighted a turning point for the porn industry as artificial intelligence reshapes content creation. Performers face mounting threats from AI‑generated deepfakes that can siphon revenue and damage reputations. In response, stars are adopting subscription services,...
Will the Smartphone Survive the AI Age?
The smartphone’s reign faces its first serious test as AI giants OpenAI, Meta and Amazon unveil devices that could supplant the iPhone‑Android duopoly. OpenAI’s Sam Altman hinted at a new AI‑first hardware that would feel unlike any phone, while Meta...
Strava’s Public Listing Will Help It Race Ahead of Competitors
Strava has confidentially filed for a public listing and engaged investment banks to steer the IPO process. The move comes as the fitness‑app company seeks additional capital to broaden its coaching services and enhance product features. Management believes a public...
Chinese AI Models Are Popular. But Can They Make Money?
Chinese AI labs have become the world’s leading source of open‑weight models, with downloads on Hugging Face now outpacing those of U.S. providers. The surge follows DeepSeek’s breakthrough model, which sparked a wave of parameter‑only releases across the country. While...
Why the Beauty Industry Is Booming
The global beauty sector is experiencing robust growth even as consumer sentiment remains muted across 20 surveyed countries. Rising inflation, higher interest rates, and geopolitical uncertainty have dampened overall spending, yet shoppers are channeling discretionary dollars into personal care. A...
Innovations in Energy and Finance Are Further Inflating the AI Bubble
Innovations in energy storage and novel financing are accelerating AI development, but they also risk inflating a speculative bubble. New renewable micro‑grid projects aim to lower the massive electricity bills of data centers, while credit‑linked funding vehicles mimic the mortgage‑securitisation...
How Saks Fifth Avenue’s Owner Went Bust
Saks Global, the parent of Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Jan 13, 2026, barely a year after completing the consolidation of the three luxury retailers. The filing puts millions of gift cards at...
A New Generation of Chinese Companies Is Expanding Around the World
Chinese consumer brands such as Urban Revivo, Luckin Coffee and Mixue are rapidly opening stores across the United States, signaling a new wave of global expansion. Unlike earlier state‑backed exporters, these firms rely on digital platforms like TikTok to generate...
Who Will Cash in on Venezuelan Oil?
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent placed Chevron at the forefront of investors targeting Venezuela’s vast oil reserves. The push follows former President Donald Trump’s strategy to leverage American oil firms to pressure Nicolás Maduro’s regime. While sanctions and political turmoil...
