Every week, we put together a list of our top 5 articles of the past week. Happy reading!
Stop Doubling Down on Your Failing Strategy Harvard Business Review
HMV was the most successful record store in the world until one day it was not.
What happens when a strategy that has been wildly successful in the past is not anymore? This HBR article dissects the challenge a management team faces when it has to change its course. The author also provides a set of guidelines to follow when important decisions need to be made.
Beyond the Bitcoin Bubble NY Times
There is undoubtedly a lot of hype (good and bad) about Bitcoin today. I enjoyed this Times article that explained the basics behind the technology, its inevitable short-term downfall and likely long-term resilience.
How a Misfit Group of Computer Geeks and English Majors Transformed Wall Street NY Mag
The quantitative approach used by many hedge funds today was created in the early 90s by a small firm, D.E. Shaw. It’s a fascinating read on how technies came to Wall Street and even led to the birth of Amazon.
Amazon Go and the Future Stratechery
Amazon made waves a year ago with its cool video, which introduced cashier-less checkout. Ben Thompson’s analysis eloquently articulates Amazon strategy behind the store; invest in R&D and technology (fixed costs) and spread across as many as customers as possible (marginal costs).
Eight Futures of Work: Scenarios and their Implications World Economic Forum
There is some great research coming out of this week’s World Economic Forum in Davos. This white paper on the future of work presents eight different scenarios and their implications. The scenarios are a bit simplistic but still provide fascinating insight as to how automation and worker displacement will impact work.
