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Latest results from 20+ year Oxford study reveals ongoing impacts of global crises on young people

Researchers from the University of Oxford have followed the lives of 12,000 children in Ethiopia, India (Telangana and Andhra Pradesh), Peru, and Vietnam since 2002, informing meaningful policy change to improve the lives of children and young people growing up in poverty. Preliminary findings from the seventh survey round, with the participants now aged 22 and 29, have been released today, and underscore the urgent need for policy action to address the…

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Supporting Black entrepreneurs in Canada: A Q&A with Groupe 3737’s Louis-Edgar Jean-François

Louis-Edgar Jean-François, CEO of national non-profit Groupe 3737, joined Ravi Latour, BLG partner and co-chair of the firm’s Race Action Committee, for a conversation in honour of Black History Month 2025. The discussion touched on how Groupe 3737 is fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in Black communities in Canada and how organizations can best support Black talent. BLG has been a proud supporter of Groupe 3737’s initiatives since 2022 and was…

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Engineering and construction: Strategic M&A as a catalyst for growth

Over the past few years, our analysis shows that the engineering and construction (E&C) industry has grown steadily by about 5 percent per annum. This number is expected to accelerate to 6 to 7 percent by 2030 in response to a confluence of tailwinds, including continued growth in emerging markets, such as Asia and the Middle East; government infrastructure programs and megaprojects in Europe and North America; pent-up demand for…

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Researchers explore the power of analogy to shape corporate strategy

About 15 years ago, Glenn Carroll and Jesper Sørensen began teaching a mandatory course for first-year MBA students called Critical Analytical Thinking. “It was not a particularly popular course,” Carroll recalls. “These are kids that just came to business school, it’s their first quarter, and rather than learning about business, they’re learning about logic.”Carroll and Sørensen, professors of organizational behavior at Stanford Graduate School of Business, looked for ways to…

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The evolving tariff threat: Impact on med-tech and life science industries

February has brought rising concerns over tariffs, with potential consequences extending well beyond traditional industries. The United States has imposed new tariffs on steel and aluminum,1 and the threat of higher tariffs on Canadian products looms large.2 As tensions rise, some Canadian provinces have begun exploring retaliatory measures, such as limiting the U.S. based business’ access to provincial procurement contracts.3 At the federal level, the Canadian government has pledged to…

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Hiding in plain sight: The trillion-dollar services opportunity

Services drive the global economy. They make up 75 percent of real gross value-added activity in high-income countries and 63 percent of the same measure in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Globally, value-added trade in services now exceeds trade in goods, and services are growing faster than the total world economy. Yet economic development efforts in LMICs often still focus on manufacturing and while that may be understandable—it was the…

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Emerging economies must get rich before they get old

NEWARK/BARCELONA – The effects of falling birth rates and rising life expectancy are increasingly evident in advanced economies like Germany, Italy, and Japan. Labor markets are tightening, worker shortages are worsening, and families are struggling to find care for aging parents. In some areas, declining student numbers are forcing schools to shut down.South Korea offers a stark example. In 2023, as the country’s total fertility rate plummeted to just 0.7…

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A new tempest this way comes

Earlier we wrote about a communication by President Trump about the unfairness of the Value Added Tax. Now the U.S. Commerce Secretary has added his official perspective on the matter. Mr. Lutnick “has warned that Canada's national sales tax will be subject to retaliation.” Retaliation is, of course, a curious term. It is not clear how Canada’s non-discriminatory national sales tax is harming the United States, U.S. exports to Canada,…

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How companies can tailor social initiatives to empower more people

McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) found that as of 2020, about 61% of the global population were unable to pay for their basic daily needs and begin to save. Building on the work of development economists, we established the “empowerment line” to measure progress towards a world where everyone’s essential needs are met.Higher than the international poverty line, the empowerment line varies greatly from country to country. In the lowest income…

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Stanford vice president for development to retire

Jon Denney, Stanford’s vice president for development, has announced that he will retire from Stanford after six years in the role.“I have been incredibly fortunate to spend much of my life at Stanford – first as a student, and then for 28 wonderful years of my professional career,” Denney said. “It has been an honor to serve the university in so many capacities, and I am deeply grateful for the…

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Simply the best (evidence): Capital Markets Tribunal rules on read-ins

On Dec. 23, 2024, the Capital Markets Tribunal (CMT) released its decision in TeknoScan Systems Inc. et al. (Re), 2024 ONCMT 32, in which it made important rulings on the use of transcripts of compelled examinations in enforcement hearings. The CMT held that read-ins from transcripts of compelled examinations of the respondent, when they are admissions against interest, are inadmissible where that respondent has properly invoked the protections against self-incrimination…

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Engaging the evolving US healthcare consumer and improving business performance

US consumers are taking an increasingly active role in their health, seeking information from a variety of sources and considering new engagement models. As this trend continues, healthcare organizations must recognize that many of the assumptions that they have made about healthcare consumers no longer hold true. Addressing these changed expectations and interests can unlock substantial opportunity to engage consumers across their healthcare journeys more effectively and improve business results.It’s…

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Building One KPI to Rule Them All

Research Feature Here’s how an online travel company set out to develop a complex metric to keep decisions made by the business development team aligned with strategy. Omri Morgenshtern and Tarik Fadil March 05, 2025 Reading Time: 20 min  Klaus Meinhardt/Ikon Images Key performance indicators are critical tools for evaluating how effectively a company is executing strategy and for making optimal decisions. When KPIs are well chosen and well defined,…

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ADA Title III Federal Lawsuit Numbers Rebound to 8,800 in 2024

By Minh N. Vu, Kristina Launey, and Susan Ryan Seyfarth Synopsis: The two-year decline in ADA Title III filings stopped in 2024, with plaintiffs increasing filings back to 8,800 complaints in 2024. When we first started tracking ADA Title III lawsuits in 2013, the total for the year was only 2,722.  The number climbed steadily to an all-time high of 11,452 in 2021, and then fell to 8,694 in 2022. …

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The U.S. tariff effect: Ensuring the health and safety of a reduced workforce part I

This is one article in our U.S. tariff effect series, featuring a multi-part analysis of the impact of tariffs on Canadian employers With the imposition of tariffs by the current U.S. Administration on the horizon, including increased tariffs on steel and aluminum imports recently announced, employers may be faced with difficult decisions regarding workforce reductions. As discussed in our first article of this series, temporary layoffs are one strategy that employers may…

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How SQM accelerated operational excellence with technology

In 2013, SQM, based in Santiago, Chile, became the first mining company to adapt the principles of lean management to the complexities of extracting minerals in some of the world’s most challenging locations. Three years into the company’s transformation, McKinsey spoke with three senior SQM executives about the organization’s progress—especially the lasting benefits from changing the way people lead. Now, more than ten years after SQM’s journey began, leaders at…

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Only the Paranoid Survive: Lessons from Intel and Andy Grove for Today’s AI Startups

Former Intel CEO Andy Grove wrote a book more than two decades ago called “Only the Paranoid Survive.” Intel took that mantra to heart for many years, reinventing itself multiple times and pushing to stay ahead of technology trends. I had a front-row seat to Intel’s aggressiveness, working as an intern at the company 30 years ago and, later, as an investor with the company’s Intel Capital venture-capital unit. As…

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Update to graduate student mail and packages process

Dear graduate students,We are writing to share an important update about the package delivery program for students living on campus that will take effect in fall 2025.Over the past several years, the number of packages delivered to residences on our campus has reached a staggering volume of more than a half million per year. At the same time, package thefts, emissions from delivery trucks, trash, and concerns for student and…

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Syria and Azerbaijan: What Changes Are Coming After the Fall of Bashar al-Assad?

The Republic of Azerbaijan, along with its close ally, Turkey, is trying to define new relations with the new leaders of Syria. The important and long-term consequence of this development will be greater alignment between Syria, Turkey and the Republic of Azerbaijan in the South Caucasus, Vali Kaleji writes. The gradual development of relations between Syria and the Republic of Azerbaijan On January 16, 1992, the Syrian Arab Republic recognised…

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The Way to Net Zero: Reducing Emissions Takes Teamwork

Roy Scott/Ikon Images The Analysis This article emerged from discussions in the Corporate Growth and International Management Working Group of the Schmalenbach-Gesellschaft, a German association that brings together corporate practitioners and business scholars. Authors Martin Glaum and Ralph Schweens head the working group; Alexander Gerybadze and Thomas Müller-Kirschbaum are members. Whether driven by regulation or by conscience, many large companies have made commitments to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions as…

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New York’s Proposed Employment Contract Reforms: What Employers Need to Know

Quick Hits S4424/A5411 would invalidate any contractual provision waiving or otherwise limiting any employee’s substantive or procedural rights, remedies, or claims. A636/S4996 would define certain terms in standard form contracts as unconscionable, effectively rendering them illegal and unenforceable. Waiver of Employment Rights Senate Bill No. 4424, introduced on February 4, 2025 (and the identical Assembly Bill No. 5411, introduced on February 13, 2025), would amend the New York Labor Law…

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Canada-U.S. tariff war resumes

On March 4, 2025, the Trump administration proceeded to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian exports to the U.S. Canada retaliated swiftly, announcing tariffs in respect of a limited range of U.S. products, fanning the flames of a trade war between longstanding allies and trading partners. Background President Trump first signed an Executive Order 14193 (Imposing Duties to Address the Flow of Illicit Drugs Across Our Northern Border) on February 1,…

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Silk Typhoon espionage group now targeting IT supply chain

Executive summary:Microsoft Threat Intelligence identified a shift in tactics by Silk Typhoon, a Chinese espionage group, now targeting common IT solutions like remote management tools and cloud applications to gain initial access. While they haven’t been observed directly targeting Microsoft cloud services, they do exploit unpatched applications that allow them to elevate their access in targeted organizations and conduct further malicious activities. After successfully compromising a victim, Silk Typhoon uses…

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Role of Physician and Anaesthetic Associates in UK healthcare challenged in largest ever review

The research, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) and led by Professor Trisha Greenhalgh and Professor Martin McKee, is the most comprehensive UK-based analysis of peer-reviewed research into PA and AA roles to date. It was written to inform the ongoing government-commissioned Leng Review which is examining the effectiveness and safety of these roles in UK healthcare.PAs and AAs are being rapidly introduced across the NHS as a solution to workforce shortages and funding cuts.…

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The gender gap at work is closing – but slowly

7 March 2024 By Clémence Berson, Vasco Botelho, Luis Guirola Abenza, Laura Hospido, Friderike Kuik, Christiane Nickel and Manuel Rojo Lopez The gender gap in labour markets is narrowing. But this process has slowed down. The ECB Blog gives an overview of recent developments for all euro area countries. The gender gap at work is closing – but slowly. Women are paid less for their work than men are.[1] Inequality…

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Forging sustainable steel and more: A talk with Nucor CEO Leon Topalian

Can a steel company build the infrastructure for the rapidly growing data center business? Nucor CEO Leon Topalian thinks so. Through a series of recent acquisitions, the company aims to offer customers made-to-order data center buildings with most of the components they require—cooling systems, overhead doors, equipment racks, and more—not just the steel that goes into them. That’s just one of the many opportunities Nucor is pursuing. With a history…

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The Current Geopolitical Situation in the South Caucasus

The South Caucasus has traditionally been one of the most dynamic regions of Eurasia. As a result of the collapse of the USSR, the former republics of Soviet Transcaucasia have suffered the majority of the region’s ethnopolitical conflicts between de facto states. It was in this region that in August 2008 revised the Belovezha Accords as the key guidelines for post-Soviet demarcation, when the administrative borders between the former Soviet…

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McKinsey’s highlights from Mobile World Congress

This is a special, bonus episode of The McKinsey Podcast. McKinsey Partner Ferry Grijpink joined McKinsey Editorial Director Roberta Fusaro to share some immediate takeaways from the annual Mobile World Congress (MWC) event in Barcelona.The McKinsey Podcast is hosted by Roberta Fusaro and Lucia Rahilly. This transcript has been edited for clarity and length. Roberta Fusaro: What’s the mood in Barcelona? Ferry Grijpink: On the one hand, it’s very exciting. We…

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Four Keys to Effective Horizon Scanning

Topics Innovation Disruption Column Our expert columnists offer opinion and analysis on important issues facing modern businesses and managers. More in this series subscribe-icon Subscribe Share Alice Mollon/Ikon Images Wave after wave of disruption promises continual changes to the global economy. Historians will be able to look back and draw lines between before and after disruptive events, but living in the middle is messy. One critical skill in the face…

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Michigan Amends Its Minimum Wage Law With Additional Changes

The IWOWA amendment did not change the minimum wage that employers and employees expected to go into effect on February 21, 2025 (at the rate of $12.48 per hour), but did change the minimum wage rates (and effective dates) for future years, and also revised the minimum cash wage rates for tipped employees and corresponding tip credit amounts. Quick Hits On February 21, 2025, Governor Whitmer signed Senate Bill 8,…

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The evolving tariff threat: Impact on hospitals in Canada

Rising concerns over tariffs suggest consequences that could go far beyond traditional industries. The United States has imposed higher tariffs on Canadian products, including medical equipment and pharmaceuticals.1 With rising tensions, several Canadian provinces have started responding to the tariffs with measures such as restricting U.S.-based businesses from accessing provincial procurement contracts.2 On the federal front, the Canadian government has introduced countermeasures, beginning with tariffs on $30 billion worth of…

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Microsoft invests an additional ZAR 5.4bn in South Africa, launches program for digital skills

Investment to expand Microsoft’s hyperscale cloud and AI infrastructure in South Africa, supporting the nation’s ambition to become a globally competitive AI economy New programme extends Microsoft’s AI skilling initiative in South Africa by paying for 50,000 young people’s certification exams in high-demand digital skills over the next 12 months. Combined investments in infrastructure, skilling, and workplace certifications are designed to foster innovation, economic growth, and workforce development. Johannesburg, 06…

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The Funding Crisis Facing Nonprofits‌

What is the role of federal funding for nonprofits?‌ Andrea Levere: Since we’ve been doing this work, one of the constant themes we hear from philanthropy, despite how much philanthropy has grown, is that what they are able to do to address key issues doesn’t come close to matching the spending of the federal and state and local governments. We are working with a whole range of organizations that are…

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News article or big oil ad?

In the battle against climate disinformation, native advertising is a fierce foe. A study published in the journal npj Climate Action by researchers from Boston University (BU) and the University of Cambridge, evaluates two promising tools to fight misleading native advertising campaigns put forth by big oil companies.Many major news organisations now offer corporations the opportunity to pay for articles that mimic in tone and format the publication’s regular reported…

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How private investment can improve senior-housing options

Senior housing—the spectrum of residential solutions aimed at people over age 65—is a sector associated with many needs. By 2050, the world is expected to have 1.6 billion people in this age cohort, more than double the number in 2021. Due to the rising prevalence of chronic illnesses among the elderly, it is likely that less than half of them will perceive themselves as being in good physical, mental, and…

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Expert Comment: What does the Seventh Carbon Budget mean for the UK’s drive to net zero?

The UK’s Climate Change Committee (CCC) delivered its recommendations for the Seventh Carbon Budget last week, setting out a 'balanced pathway' for how we can work towards net zero emissions from 2038 to 2042 (we are currently in the Fourth Carbon Budget period).With the Climate Change Act 2008, the UK was the first country in the world to set legally binding carbon budgets.  The Act mandates the government to set…

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High-tech imaging center opens at Hopkins Marine Station

Life began and diversified in the ocean, and now Stanford is providing a new, easier way for scientists to get a good look at it.The Molecular and Cellular Biodiversity Imaging Center, the brainchild of Christoper Lowe, biology professor in the Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences (H&S), is now open at Hopkins Marine Station. It allows researchers from a range of disciplines access to technology rarely found at a marine…

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Amid DEI Rollbacks, Champion Allyship

Abandoning DEI initiatives can harm both performance and workplace culture. Research shows that inclusive workplaces are better for all of us — and for our businesses. Meg A. Warren March 05, 2025 Reading Time: 5 min  Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images Many U.S. businesses are feeling pressured to retreat from years of effort they’ve spent creating welcoming and inclusive workplaces, in response to the Trump administration’s anti-DEI stance. But…

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What to Watch in Nevada’s 2025 Legislative Session: Key Employment-Related Bills

Quick Hits The Nevada state legislature commenced its latest legislative session on February 3, 2025. State lawmakers are considering multiple bills that could impact employment law in the Nevada. Employers may want to take note of these legislative developments, which, if passed and enacted, could result in significant changes to Chapters 608 and 613 of the Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS). Here is a breakdown of some of the key bills…

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Tech companies can play key roles in making rural healthcare safer

A new report on how Microsoft is helping rural communities protect critical healthcare infrastructure Last year, Microsoft launched its Cybersecurity for Rural Hospitals Program an initiative designed to help protect access to healthcare for the 46 million people living in rural America. Funded through a philanthropic investment, the program now has more than 550 rural hospitals, nearly one-third of all US rural hospitals, participating to receive free cybersecurity assessments, cybersecurity training, Microsoft security…

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