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Are Management Consulting Firms Failing to Manage Themselves?

After nearly a decade of uninterrupted growth, strategic consulting firms are now facing one of their most challenging periods in memory, prompting widespread cutbacks in staff and changes to recruiting. How did these firms get to this painful point? In response to unprecedented client demand before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, strategy firms initiated a growth-driven hiring spree. However, as economies slowed, these firms faced a significant imbalance between their…

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A data leader’s technical guide to scaling gen AI

Data and AI leaders have been working feverishly on generative AI (gen AI) use cases for more than a year. Their experience has provided promising glimpses of the considerable value at stake in gen AI but has also exposed a variety of challenges in getting to scale. Managing data remains one of the main barriers to value creation from gen AI. In fact, 70 percent of top performers in a…

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The Power of Positively Energizing Leadership

Etelle Higonnet (Yale College Class of 2000) is a human rights lawyer and environmental activist. She can be found doing investigations on deforestation and child labor in the jungles and forests of Africa and South America, often risking losing her life, as nearly happened on a mission in an African country where she was working to stop a rubber company from illegally cutting down trees. As Etelle was about to…

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5 City Ordinances Every Employer With Employees in Philadelphia Should Know

Quick Hits Employers doing business in Philadelphia will want to be aware of several key employment-specific ordinances—including laws governing fair criminal record screening standards (“ban the box”), sick leave benefits, predictive scheduling, pre-employment drug testing, and transit benefits—that provide rights and protections for employees and compliance responsibilities for employers in the city. Philadelphia’s “Promoting Healthy Families and Workplaces” ordinance, for example, requires that employers allow eligible employees to accrue sick…

  • Post category:Ogletree Deakins
  • Reading time:10 mins read
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AI able to identify drug-resistant typhoid-like infection from microscopy images in matter of hours

Antimicrobial resistance is an increasing global health issue that means many infections are becoming difficult to treat, with fewer treatment options available. It even raises the spectre of some infections becoming untreatable in the near future.One of the challenges facing healthcare workers is the ability to distinguish rapidly between organisms that can be treated with first-line drugs and those that are resistant to treatment. Conventional testing can take several days,…

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Russia – Africa: Strategy for Cooperation in a Multipolar World. The Second African Conference of the Valdai Discussion Club

On July 24, 2024, the Valdai Discussion Club will hold its second Russian-African conference, titled “Russia – Africa: A strategy for cooperation in a multipolar world.” It will be held in Africa for the first time - in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania at the Johari Rotana Dar es Salaam hotel at 14909 Mansfield Street. The Valdai Club's partners in organising the conference are the Embassy of the Russian Federation in…

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Imagining better futures with ‘Assembling Tomorrow’

How can we create things in the world without causing harm, and instead, create with healing in mind? This question is at the heart of Assembling Tomorrow (Penguin Random House, 2024), the new book by Carissa Carter and Scott Doorley, directors at Stanford University’s d.school. With the rapid growth of AI and other emerging technologies, how we create and what we create profoundly influence our lives. The challenge is to…

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Featured in American Recycler: The Ebb & Flow Of The U.S. Auto Recycling Market

So what are the biggest factors currently affecting the auto recycling industry? Inflation is having a big impact on the market. As Delaney explained, inflation impacts the auto industry in the same way it does many other industries. The cost of labor, fuel and materials has continued to rise. In addition, he pointed out that the expected adoption of electric vehicles has slowed, but the continued use of Advanced Driver-Assistance…

  • Post category:Stax Consulting
  • Reading time:10 mins read
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Redesigning Design Patent Validity

  The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit sitting en banc recently overruled the long-standing test for determining obviousness of design patents in LKQ Corporation, Keystone Automotive Industries, Inc. v. GM Global Technology Operations, LLC. Almost immediately after the Federal Circuit handed down its opinion, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (the USPTO) issued new guidelines for the examination of design patent applications. Under the “old” test for…

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Preliminary Analysis on the Ryan Court’s Order Enjoining the FTC’s Ban on Non-Competes

Commentary:  The Court ruled on Wednesday, July 3, what most of the legal community already believed: that the FTC lacked the substantive rulemaking authority to issue a nationwide ban on non-competes between employers and workers. Nevertheless, the  ruling itself is not likely one that anyone expected.    On the one hand, the Court enjoined the FTC Rule, holding that “the text, structure, and history of the FTC Act reveal that…

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:6 mins read
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WEBINAR – Time Well Spent Session 7: Compensable Work Time

About the Program: Much has happened in the ten years since our national Wage and Hour Litigation Practice Group wrote ALM’s authoritative Wage & Hour Collective and Class Litigation treatise. We are excited to continue our informative webinar series to discuss—in bite-sized increments—the past decade’s most important changes to the federal and state employee pay litigation landscape. The final installment of our “Time Well Spent” webinar series will focus on…

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Build your own copilot with Microsoft Azure AI Studio

 No matter your use case, Microsoft Azure AI Studio accelerates the generative AI development lifecycle, empowering organizations to build and shape the future with AI.   In the rapidly evolving world of AI technology, Microsoft Azure AI Studio, now generally available, is empowering organizations to create their own AI copilots. With AI Studio, organizations can customize and build their own copilot to meet their unique needs.   We’re excited to see organizations…

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  • Reading time:9 mins read
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Do shareholder activists create lasting value?

A shareholder activist tends to improve a company’s stock price during its campaigns—and sustains those gains for three years after the campaign is announced. But when one considers the period after an activist has exited its position, the picture becomes murkier. We examined almost 170 shareholder activist campaigns worldwide over the past ten years and found that after an activist had exited its position, three-year excess total shareholder returns (TSR) were…

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At Least One Reason to Look Up: Celebrating 4th of July with Drone Light Shows

This 4th of July, look up and you might notice something spectacularly different lighting up the night sky. The days of stunning displays that relied solely on the crackle and pop of fireworks are numbered. In a remarkable twist of technology, drone light shows are offering a breathtaking alternative. Imagine a fleet of hundreds, even thousands, of drones, each equipped with vibrant LEDs, dancing in perfect harmony. They swoop, swirl,…

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  • Reading time:3 mins read
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America’s Problem With Its CEO

The US presidential election debate has delivered its verdict, produced new insights and raised new questions. The question we focus on here is why the richest country on earth has presented its voters with such poor options, and how the race to the White House has exposed the country’s democratic vulnerability.On the Republican side, we have Donald Trump, a convicted felon who was a disruptive, divisive force as President from…

  • Post category:INSEAD Knowledge
  • Reading time:7 mins read
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California Governor Signs PAGA Reform Legislation

Quick Hits California’s governor recently signed two bills to reform PAGA to enable workers to sue their employers or former employers over California Labor Code violations. The new legislation caps penalties on employers that “quickly take steps to fix policies and practices, and make workers whole, after receiving a PAGA notice, as well as on employers that act responsibly to take steps proactively to comply with the Labor Code before…

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  • Reading time:4 mins read
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Why curbing bad spending habits is better for your financial wellbeing than increasing income

The past few years have been challenging for British households as the cost of living crisis and rising mortgage costs stretched our budgets. Fortunately, inflation has fallen in recent months and certain expenses, including energy bills, have come down. This could mean that the pressure starts to ease and you find more room in your budget soon – you may have noticed a change already. However, the increased costs that…

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Scientists map how deadly bacteria evolved to become epidemic

P. aeruginosa is responsible for over 500,000 deaths per year around the world, of which over 300,000 are associated with antimicrobial resistance (AMR). People with conditions such as COPD (smoking-related lung damage), cystic fibrosis (CF), and non-CF bronchiectasis, are particularly susceptible.How P. aeruginosa evolved from an environmental organism into a specialised human pathogen was not previously known. To investigate this, an international team led by scientists at the University of…

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The Ultimate Leader Checklist

Just past the midpoint of the calendar year, July is frequently a month when leaders are looking to refresh their professional goals, thinking about new ways of working, new ideas for connecting with and leading their teams, and even new ways to define their organization’s culture or mission. To support these resolutions for leaders, Perceptyx has compiled insights from our Research and Workforce Transformation teams. Use these recommendations to form…

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  • Reading time:20 mins read
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Best of Pioneers and Pathfinders: Cindy Cohn

In honor of Independence Day, we're revisiting our discussion with Cindy Cohn, executive director at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). For many years, Cindy has been a champion for civil liberties in the digital space. In our conversation, she spoke about the EFF's history and mission, as well as the human rights issues she focuses on today. We hope you enjoy the holiday this week. We will return next week…

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  • Reading time:3 mins read
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Mexico Amends Human Trafficking Law to Include Excess Work Shifts as a Crime of Labor Exploitation

Quick Hits Mexico’s Human Trafficking Law has been amended to define overtime work generated beyond legal limits as a form of labor exploitation. When overtime is generated, employers will have to pay for it and may be liable for fines and penalties. The Human Trafficking Law establishes a penalty of three to ten years of imprisonment and a fine of 5,000 to 50,000 fine days. The penalties increase to four…

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  • Reading time:5 mins read
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5 Skills Your Managers Need (But Probably Don’t Have) to Effectively Interview Job Applicants

Did you know that 76% of hiring managers admit that attracting the right job candidates is their greatest challenge? Why? Because many managers lack key skills needed for effective interviewing. Culture matters to employees, but it’s just as crucial for hiring. Keep in mind that you’re not alone in searching for the best people, and employees are equally on the lookout for the best workplaces. Keep the application process simple,…

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  • Reading time:4 mins read
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What does the future hold for India?

3D image of people forming the shape of India and organized based on their clothing color creating the pattern of the national flag. India is a place of superlatives. It’s home to the world’s fifth-largest economy. Its population, at over 1.4 billion people, has surpassed China’s to become the largest in the world. And that population is young: at a median age of 27.6, Indians are on average more than…

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From the Fall of USSR to the Rise of a Multipolar World. And Now What?

The fall of the USSR in 1989-91 provoked a sense of omnipotence in the dominant circles of Western capitalism, all the more so as it was preceded by a decade in which neoliberalism triumphantly ascended in the West itself (1980-90), as well as the decline of a series of Third World regimes that had emerged from anti-colonial, national liberation movements and revolutions. This feeling was captured by Francis Fukuyama in…

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How Africa Can Embrace Venture Capital

According to the African Development Bank, 11 African countries currently feature in the top 20 fastest-growing global economies. The organisation’s latest Outlook Report estimates that real GDP (gross domestic product) growth for the continent is expected to average 3.8 and 4.2 percent in 2024 and 2025 respectively. That compares favourably to projected global averages of just 2.9 and 3.2 percent in the same time periods. By actively seeking out and supporting African-led…

  • Post category:INSEAD Knowledge
  • Reading time:11 mins read
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When Being Responsive is a Responsibility

If a company manages to double the demand for its products, it will undoubtedly celebrate its outstanding performance. But when demand for a company’s products increases 10 times, there’s no time to celebrate. Instead, a supply chain shock ensues. This was the experience of Kenvue at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, when demand for much of its range of self-care and essential health products spiked. Over the…

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  • Reading time:6 mins read
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Supply chain ‘goes rouge’: Inside Coty’s makeover

Among tens of thousands of products, millions of customers, and an infinite number of outside forces shaping demand, how does one identify the next “it” beauty product—and get it in shoppers’ hands as quickly as they want it? While those questions were top of mind for Coty before the COVID-19 pandemic, the company first had to contend with stagnating revenues, inefficient operations, and runaway costs. The international beauty business—which owns…

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How euro area firms’ inflation expectations affect their business decisions

4 July 2024By Ursel Baumann, Annalisa Ferrando, Dimitris Georgarakos, Yuriy Gorodnichenko, Judit Rariga and Timo Reinelt Firms’ inflation expectations are key for monetary policy makers. The ECB Blog presents new survey data on these expectations, evidence on what influences them, how they change when new information becomes available, and if they matter for the plans and choices firms make. Setting prices, negotiating wages, deciding how much to invest or how…

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10 ways to impact business velocity through Azure OpenAI Service

Organizations across industries are leveraging Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service and Copilot services and capabilities to drive growth, increase productivity, and create value-added experiences. The phrase, “time is money,” is commonly attributed to Benjamin Franklin, who first used it in his essay “Advice to a Young Tradesman,” published in 1748. Franklin was addressing the economic value of time, a concept increasingly relevant when discussing AI’s impact on business today. AI is…

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The ‘evergreen economy’: Harnessing the power of healthy longevity

The majority of people can now expect to grow older. By 2050, 1.6 billion people will be over the age of 65. The challenge—and opportunity—that comes with increased life expectancy is ensuring that those extra years are as healthy and productive as possible. It’s an attainable goal, asserts British economist Andrew J. Scott, if the global focus shifts from the notion of an aging society to that of a longevity…

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The Need for Mindfulness, Reflection, and Inquiry in Our Busy World

Can a mindfulness practice help us at work? In a season focusing on how we learn through experience, I wanted to make sure that we heard about some of the social science that supports the practices. My guest on this episode has lived a fascinating life and has so much wisdom to share on this topic. Lindsey Cameron is an assistant professor of management at the Wharton School, University of…

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The European Health Data Space – What lies ahead?

In March 2024, the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament reached a deal on a provisional agreement for the European Health Data Space (“EHDS”) regulation as part of the broader EU data strategy. The Council of the European Union published the compromise text of this agreement as a work-in-progress, providing insights into the forthcoming regulation and its implications. What is the EHDS about In a nutshell, the…

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Redundancy Dismissal Found to Be Unfair Following Failure to Consult Employee on ‘Pool of One’

Quick Hits The employer had not engaged in “meaningful consultation” with the employee, rendering the dismissal “procedurally unfair.” A fair redundancy process requires that employers adhere to a thoughtful and well-documented pooling and consultation process, which includes clear communication with affected employees. Background Zubair Valimulla worked for Al-Khair Foundation as a masjid liaison officer (MLO) employed at the charity’s Bolton branch. Three other employees performed the same or similar roles…

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  • Reading time:6 mins read
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The Six Most Popular Stories of 2024 — So Far

Catch up on articles you might have missed and get expert advice on hard truths about meetings, AI and data science, return-to-office mandates, and more. Laurianne McLaughlin July 02, 2024 Reading Time: 3 min  subscribe-icon Subscribe Share When I interviewed Phillip G. Clampitt in early 2024 about how leaders could better handle employee pushback, I sensed that he had much more wisdom to offer on the topic. One particular pain…

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Rhode Island Legislative Update 2024: New Laws on Leave Entitlements, Minimum Wage Exemptions, and Arbitration Agreements

Quick Hits Workers in Rhode Island will receive up to seven weeks of paid time off to bond with a new child or care for a sick family member in 2025. That number will increase to eight weeks in 2026. Domestic workers are now eligible for minimum wage and overtime protections. Independent contractors must file an annual notice of designation under the workers’ compensation law for every entity that retains…

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Microsoft Flight Simulator update includes Buffalo, Allentown and Washington, D.C.

Microsoft Flight Simulator: City Update IX highlights select locations throughout the northeastern United States with updated aerial imagery, new digital elevation models, and TIN (triangulated irregular network) surface texturing. The update includes the Washington, DC region; Buffalo, New York; Allentown, Pennsylvania area; and the East End of Long Island, New York. They are the latest enhancements to the immersive and ever-improving Microsoft Flight Simulator world experience!Washington, D.C. (District of Columbia)…

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Five Essential Elements to Build the Capital You Need to Lead

To aspiring entrepreneurs and other business practitioners looking to advance their careers, the path to a leadership role may seem daunting. Yet anyone with a dream to open a business, start a nonprofit, or simply move up the ranks at work can indeed get where they want to go, as long as they learn to recognize and build their leadership capital—the resources and influence needed to realize their goals, says…

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Genetic study points to oxytocin as possible treatment for obesity and postnatal depression

Obesity and postnatal depression are significant global health problems. Postnatal depression affects more than one in 10 women within a year of giving birth and is linked to an increased risk of suicide, which accounts for as many as one in five maternal deaths in high income countries. Meanwhile, obesity has more than doubled in adults since 1990 and quadrupled in adolescents, according to the World Health Organization.While investigating two…

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