The Gold standard: August 2019
In recent years, professional services firms and other companies have flooded the thought-leadership market with content. Some of it is good; a lot of it is middling, at best.
In this new monthly post, I will highlight some of the best articles and reports that cross my desk. I’ll note why they rise to the top of the pile and are worth reading (or skimming), even if they focus on functions or industries outside your areas of interest.
Among the criteria I'll use to make the selections are freshness and provocativeness of insights and timeliness, analytical rigor, depth of prescriptions, and overall readability.
Please feel free to weigh in with your own recommendations.
A circular solution to
plastic waste”
BCG
“
Time to switch rates:
Libor transition”
Oliver Wyman
“
The Indian equation
for advanced
analytics talent”
Bain
“
The next big thing:
Quantum computing’s
potential impact
on chemicals”
McKinsey
“
Breaking through
disruption: Embrace
the power of the
wise pivot”
Accenture
“
Featured articles
A circular solution to plastic waste”
BCG
“
Time to switch rates: Libor transition”
Oliver Wyman
“
The Indian equation
for advanced
analytics talent”
Bain
“
The next big thing: Quantum computing’s potential impact
on chemicals”
McKinsey
“
Breaking through disruption: Embrace
the power of the
wise pivot”
Accenture
“
What to do about plastic waste is top of mind for citizens, government officials, and businesspeople worldwide. This lengthy report analyzes global plastic waste markets and looks closely at one particular recycling technology, pyrolysis. The piece sets a high bar for thought leadership, scoring well on all the criteria that I use to evaluate content.
Read the article
A circular solution to plastic waste”
BCG
“
This one is not for the faint of heart. The language is technical and hard to get through. But it addresses an important, timely topic for bankers and does a good job of highlighting the expertise of the authors in the subject matter.
Read the article
Time to switch rates: Libor transition”
Oliver Wyman
“
The search for talent in digital technology and advanced analytics is one of the hottest topics among consulting and executive search firms. This piece offers a novel perspective, examining the role that India might play in filling the global advanced analytics talent gap.
Read the article
The Indian equation for advanced analytics talent”
Bain
“
Quantum computing has received a lot
of attention in business press. Much of it is hard to follow for mere mortals. By contrast, this piece offers an understandable, realistic look at the technology’s potential in the chemical industry. An industry executive reading this piece might well call the authors to discuss the findings.
Read the article
The next big thing: Quantum computing’s potential impact
on chemicals”
McKinsey
“
Everyone has a point of view about how to handle disruption, and Accenture is not the only firm to have created an index, which it calls a “Disruptability Index,” to measure it. I like how the authors looked at “disruptability” by industry sector and offered ideas about how companies within those sectors could respond.
Read the article
Breaking through disruption: Embrace the power of the
wise pivot”
Accenture
“
Back to top