Recommended Reading

Links to articles around the web highlighted in the FOCUS Newsletter

Technology, Jobs, and the Future of Work

Technology, Jobs, and the Future of Work

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“Automation, digital platforms, and other innovations are changing the fundamental nature of work. Understanding these shifts can help policy makers, business leaders, and workers move forward,” according to a briefing by the McKinsey Global Institute.
two gears with text written on them reading "brand strategy"

10 Brand Architecture Strategies After M&A

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Branding strategies impact how a new acquisition or merger is accepted in the marketplace. A May 31, 2017 blog in Divestopedia states: “Choices around brand strategy or brand architecture on the heels of a merger or an acquisition send signals to key stakeholders. These decisions express to employees, investors, customers, and the market where the entity is headed, what’s changing, what’s staying the same, etc. Making the right brand strategy decisions is critical to activate the full potential of the merger or acquisition.

Hey M&A Bankers, Trump Won

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bar graph with a picture of donald trump in each bar depicting the global deal volume in US Dollars According to Bloomberg on March 29, 2017, “A year ago, a Donald Trump presidency didn't appear all that likely. So it felt almost as if Wall Street's dealmakers were speaking of an extreme--perhaps even amusing--hypothetical when they picked the ‘Art of the Deal’ author last March as the best candidate for mergers and acquisitions…
businessman playing chess wearing a suit and red tie

Trump Policies Likely to Make 2017 a Good Year for Buying Companies

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A guest article in the January 20, 2017 issue of Mergers & Acquisitions observes that: “Private equity players are already looking ahead at how the merger and acquisition (M&A) landscape will shape up over the next four years and where to find the next big opportunity… Currently, corporates are flush with cash, while the private …

Concept graphic: Synergy in a business word cloud

The Artful Synergist, or How To Get More Value from Mergers and Acquisitions

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According to a February 2017 McKinsey & Company article, “Keeping your deal team small ensures confidentiality, but pinpointing synergies requires bringing more people on board…Making sure that large M&A deals create value is as much about knowing whom to involve—and when—as it is about knowing how to capture synergies. The larger the deal, the more …

How a Trump Presidency Will Affect 15 Industries

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According to the November 12, 2016 issue of The Washington Post, “Oil drillers. Gas pipelines. Coal. Banks. Pharmaceuticals. Construction and industrial equipment. The defense industry. Those are among the likely winners of a Donald Trump administration that could take the lid off coal and fracking regulations, begin an extensive repair of the nation’s roads and …

Here’s What It Takes for Your Company’s Culture to Survive an Acquisition

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Integrating two companies' cultures takes forethought, a solid plan, and time, according to the September 13, 2016 issue of Fast Company. The article states: “Your company's culture is what defines it. Small startup or large corporation, it's the set of values and attitudes that bind your employees together. So what happens to that identity when another company buys you out?

Keeping Employee Engagement Up During Mergers and Acquisitions

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“Mergers and acquisitions are enticing, especially to organizations looking to expand during uncertain economic times. They hold the promise of an expanded customer base, a larger global footprint, instant product diversification and an easy route into new markets. However, M&A is usually anything but smooth for the employees on the ground floor, and can wreak …

Founder vs. CEO: Who Creates More Value?

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“In many ways, founders are the soul of a company. That’s one of the reasons why many investors prefer working with companies led by the founder rather than a professional CEO. It’s also why some companies bring founders back during times of trouble,” according to an April 20, 2016 article in Pitchbook.com.

“The skills needed …