LAST Insight
Reflections on the pursuit of happiness, in light of the 200th birthday of the philosopher Søren Kierkegaard
Rodríguez Lluesma, Carlos
The pursuit of one's own happiness is doomed to fail unless it stems from the pursuit of others' happiness.
Twenty years since the first SMS was sent, we still like our messages short and sweet
Zamora López, Javier
The widespread adoption of text messaging was not something that even the pioneers themselves could have imagined. How did SMS gain such popularity?
Rather than eschewing organizational politics, innovators must learn how to navigate them
Miller, Paddy; Wedell-Wedellsborg, Thomas
The story of how an eager networker and eminent social climber managed to accomplish what no one else could offers a core lesson: Success in innovation isn’t just about good ideas; it’s also about politics.
Oliver Twist and Nell Trent may be fictional. Let’s make sure they stay that way
Leggett, Brian O'Connor
On the bicentenary of Charles Dickens' birth, we revisit two of his classic works to think afresh about the scandal of child labor, as June 12 marks the World Day Against Child Labour.
On the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, what can we learn from this decision-making disaster?
Ariño Martín, Miguel Angel; Maella, Pablo
The night of April 14-15, 2012, marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. What can we learn from this famous shipwreck? The recent Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster in January 2012 revives the same age-old questions: Could such disasters be avoided with better planning, or is it just a case of bad luck?
The late Eliyahu M. Goldratt and his Theory of Constraints inspired managers to think differently
Moscoso, Philip G.
Something of crucial interest to a manager of any system is how to boost the rate at which it processes things – be they products at a factory, cars on a highway or case files at a law office. The late Eliyahu M. Goldratt (1947-2011) came up with a useful methodology for doing this in The Goal, the work that made him famous.
Do you spend time thinking about the events that will shape your life?
Done, Adrian A.
The world will never be the same again. So we were told after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the 10th anniversary of which is being marked with various memorial events. But what has changed over the past decade? More importantly, what will change during the next?
The Arab uprisings and the fall of Communism require more than a superficial comparison
Pou Serradell, Víctor
Just as IESE went to Eastern Europe after the fall of the Berlin Wall with some well-defined objectives of how to help, the E.U. should be ready to support and encourage the process of democratic transformation across the Arab world.
Mary Parker Follett’s ideas on shared power, human interaction and constructive conflict remain as relevant as ever
Rosanas Martí, Josep Maria
Every age has its figures whose genius is never appreciated in their lifetimes. Mary Parker Follett (1868-1933) is no exception. But learning to share power, reflecting on the effects of our actions on others, and finding the win-win outcome are timeless methods that can serve management at the start of another tough century.
Five steps for improving your company’s project management
Ribera Segura, Jaume; Moscoso, Philip G.
Project management is as old as the universe, which is recorded in the Book of Genesis as a seven-step project. Perhaps the long history of project management makes it seem like an exercise in common sense. So why do so many projects fail to meet their deadlines, budgets or objectives? How can project management be improved? Here we offer a simple five-step methodology, with plenty of lighthearted wisdom thrown in along the way.