Categories
Economics

Capital For You and Me

This past Friday marked the 40th anniversary of the passing of Mao Zedong, the founding father of the People’s Republic of China. Most notable here in China was the absence of discussion or commentary. This is perhaps understandable since it is Chinese government policy to celebrate past leaders’ birthdays rather than the anniversary of their […]

Categories
Skills, Tips, and Tactics

Surviving in a Procyclical Industry

Management consulting is a service industry that earns its keep by serving large organisations – corporate, non-profit and government. During economic downturns these prospective clients typically have less money, or more uncertain cash flows, and so are less likely to spend money on consulting services. As a result, consultants are vulnerable to layoffs during economic […]

Categories
Strategy

How Empowered Are You?

What does it mean to say that someone is “empowered”? The Oxford dictionary defines the term as “stronger and more confident in controlling ones life”. Key to this definition is the idea of control; that is, the ability to influence the course of events. Roles in the community that we might think of as empowered include priests, professors, […]