SAIC, a major government technology contractor, just agreed to pay the City of New York $500 million to settle charges of fraud in the development of an employee timekeeping system. Yes, a couple of employees were the real bad apples, engaging in fraud, kickbacks, and money laundering. But SAIC’s real crime, the actions that cost …
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Business Laws & Ethics
In their new book, Repeatability, Bain & Co partners Chris Zook and James Allen show that a small percentage of companies sustained profitability over long periods do so because they are able to control growing complexity which slows them down. These leading companies have repeatable models that allow the company to react to new situations …
One of the enduring adages of corporate governance is that it is a philosophy and not a tick box exercise. Company secretaries and corporate governance experts can often be heard stating this line and, like many clichés, it is often repeated because it’s true. A company can fulfil all the requirements of its relevant code(s) …
James is a recently-appointed director on the board of a family business. He is the nephew of the founder and has worked in the business for several years since completing his MBA. He is concerned because the board meetings are all taken up with historical reports and endless discussions of ‘who did what’ and how …
Political scientist James Q. Wilson recently passed away at the age of 80. Wilson and co-author George L. Kelling argued in a landmark 1982 article in The Atlantic that communities must address minor crimes and their effects, such as broken windows, to prevent larger problems from developing. They argued the crime of vandalism wasn’t as …
In the modern world, women are outperforming men in many stages of their career; especially at school level, university and during the early years of work. However, despite a considerable number of women entering the corporate world, the gender diversity of top companies at executive and board level is woeful. Background In 2010, women made …
Boardroom presentations are an important part of every senior executive’s personal and professional development. Following the 10 tips outlined below will help you to present like an experienced professional and help your board to make the best and most appropriate decisions following your presentations. It is far easier to progress your career when you are …