Risk-based performance

1. Leadership lessons for hard times
A series of interviews with 14 CEOs and chairmen of major companies sheds light on the foundations of corporate leadership.

2. Five trends that will shape business technology in 2009
The year 2009 will be challenging for CIOs. Here’s how to play your hand

3. A better way to fix the banks
Here’s a plan that could solve the toxic-asset pricing problem voluntarily—without requiring Uncle Sam to nationalize the whole industry—and make (pretty much) everyone a winner.

4. Hal Varian on how the Web challenges managers
Google’s chief economist says executives in wired organizations need a sharper understanding of how technology empowers innovation

5. Leading through uncertainty
The range of possible futures confronting business is great. Companies that nurture flexibility, awareness, and resiliency are more likely to survive the crisis, and even to prosper.

6. The crisis—one year on: McKinsey Global Economic Conditions Survey results, September 2009
A year after the global economic system nearly collapsed, many companies are finally finding ways to increase profits under the new conditions. But almost as many expect profits to continue falling, and executives also indicate that their broader financial hopes remain fragile. Many expect more government involvement in economies and industries over the long term.

7. Enduring Ideas: The industry cost curve
In this interactive presentation—one in a series of multimedia frameworks—McKinsey director Rob Latoff offers insight into the industry cost curve, a business school classic for understanding pricing. By bringing discipline and a practical set of definitions to bear, this framework can be applied to real-world, competitive markets

8. How companies are benefiting from Web 2.0: McKinsey Global Survey Results
The heaviest users of Web 2.0 applications are also enjoying benefits such as increased knowledge sharing and more effective marketing. These benefits often have a measurable effect on the business.

9. Good boss, bad times
Management expert Robert Sutton shares lessons on handling layoffs and teams in crisis

10. What next? Ten questions for CFOs
As companies shift their attention from fighting the crisis to getting the most from the recovery, CFOs must keep them focused.