The acquisition marks a dramatic strategic shift for Netflix, which has never made a deal of this scope. The streaming pioneer grew to become Hollywood's most valuable company, without the benefit of a library or studio, by licensing programs from others and then expanding into original content. With the purchase, Netflix becomes owner of the HBO network, along with its library of hit shows like The Sopranos and TheWhite Lotus.
The logic holds that when a company has a shareholder-unfriendly component of its portfolio - e.g. the business in question is cyclical, or it is low-growth or low margin - the company should diversify to make that business less-shareholder unfriendly. I take on the fallacy in this Playing to Win/Practitioner Insights (PTW/PI) piece entitled Diversification Can't Disappear a Strategy Problem: It Just Creates a Different Problem. And as always, you can find all the previous PTW/PI here.
Innovation hubs were once the darlings of corporate strategy, promising to future-proof businesses and spark breakthrough ideas. But two decades in, the cracks are showing. Too many hubs have struggled to prove their worth, and some have quietly shut down altogether. In reality, these costly spaces never lived up to the hype-and the future lies elsewhere. Rather than investing in shiny new labs, organizations should be cultivating innovation communities: networks of people, inside and outside the company, who collaborate around shared challenges and opportunities.
From my view, Verizon has struggled to articulate a clear strategy around market positioning, branding, and pricing, sticking too long to messaging that produced success when it was clearly the best network in the industry.
Good morning. I've spent the week talking to business leaders and policymakers who've gathered in New York for Climate Week, the UN General Assembly and assorted events on the sidelines, including our own. The mood is generally somber, with growing concern about America's commitment to free speech, science, rule of law and remaining a hub for global talent. A few themes have emerged in terms of how CEOs are shifting their strategies.
Shortly after taking the Starbucks job a year ago, Niccol launched a back-to-basics strategy. He culled the bloated menu, launched an ad campaign that refocused consumers' attention on the quality of the coffee itself, jettisoned those printed drink-order stickers on cups for cute handwritten Sharpie notes, and worked to improve the physical experience of sitting in a Starbucks and enjoying your drink.
The spiral staircase leading up to the roof-deck at Los Angeles's Tesla Diner is beautiful, or at least it is expensive-looking. It has video screens overhead and glowy lights at the base of each step and its own special soundtrack, a down-tempo, bleepy-bloopy composition that whooshes in as a notable contrast to the main dining room's dad rock. Glass display cases set into the walls hold human-size robots. Otherwise, every surface is covered in slick plastic, pure white.
Young people aren't just the leaders of tomorrow-they're leading right now. They're influencing culture, driving social movements, and embracing technology faster than most of us can keep up. They may not have a seat in the boardroom, but their influence is already being felt in every corner of society-including your bottom line. As a mother of three and a leader at UNICEF USA, I've seen firsthand how this generation is stepping up.
Tony Cheng’s journey in Reinsurance Group of America reflects a commitment to continuous learning and a willingness to embrace responsibility, which has fueled his long-term success.
I testified in Congress before I was CEO… the head of a House investigation committee told me 'there's no way you should be CEO of this company.' Flash forward a few years and that person was 'a good colleague' on other issues. I don't hold grudges.
"Wise announced it plans to shift its primary stock listing to the NASDAQ, underscoring tectonic shifts in the global listings landscape."
