From the author

Why there’s no Covid in this year’s Christmas ads
This year's Chrismtas ads endeavour to raise our spirits with tactful humour while reassuring us that this Christmas can...
Nov 17, 2020

Have we just stumbled on the biggest productivity increase of the century?
Working from home was one part of the pandemic response that went remarkably smoothly.
Sep 8, 2020

For some companies, JobKeeper has become DividendKeeper
This recession governments chose to help pay salaries to keep workers in work rather than pay unemployment benefits when...
Aug 14, 2020

Government agendas are driving businesses like no time since WW2
Microsoft's acquisition of TikTok reveals the long reach of governments into the corporate sector.
Aug 13, 2020

Vital Signs: Shorter meetings but longer days – how Covid-19 has changed the way we work
The nature of work was evolving before Covid-19, and it will continue to do so as many parts of the world continue with ...
Aug 7, 2020

Sure, let’s bring production onshore, but it might not ensure supplies
Re-shoring can play a role, but a top-down assessment of the risks facing supplies of critical goods is needed
Jul 13, 2020

Corporate activism is more than a marketing gimmick
Businesses that are the first movers, or those that engage in hard activism early, are more likely interested in achievi...
Jul 9, 2020

Australia is under sustained cyber attack. What’s going on, and what should businesses do?
The attack is described as “state-sponsored”, which means a foreign government is believed to be behind it.
Jun 22, 2020

Watch yourself: the self-surveillance strategy to keep supermarket shoppers honest
Supermarkets are trying a different tactic that’s part overt surveillance but also encourages “self-reflection” on any i...
Jun 15, 2020

Economists back wage freeze 21-19 in new Economic Society-Conversation survey
The Economic Society of Australia, The Conversation poll 42 of Australia’s leading economists in the fields of microecon...
Jun 10, 2020

How a tightening of wallets pushed Australia into recession
The treasurer described Australia as “on the edge of the cliff” in the March quarter, facing “an economist’s version of ...
Jun 4, 2020

Australia’s first service sector recession will be unlike those that have gone before it
If the government wants to stop this recession from turning into a depression, it will have to redirect its policy playb...
Jun 1, 2020

What COVID-19 means for the people making your clothes
The crisis has demonstrated forcefully the importance for manufacturers and retailers to be agile with well trained work...
May 28, 2020

Don’t blame COVID-19: Target’s decline is part of a deeper trend
Target’s strategy to move further into the middle market was always doomed for limited success.
May 25, 2020

Coronavirus has turned retail therapy into retail anxiety – keeping customers calm will be key to carrying on
If retailers and hospitality service providers want customers to return in greater numbers the goal will be to minimise ...
May 22, 2020

How the COVID-19 crisis could remodel the luxury industry
Confronted with the lasting effects of the crisis, significant changes in the industry are to be expected.
May 14, 2020

If we want workers to stay home when sick, we need paid leave for casuals
Lack of sick leave a "major barrier" for many workers who need to stay home, experts say.
May 14, 2020

Five workplace trends that will shape life after lockdown
“People are realising they can work remote … that’s a huge opportunity.”
May 11, 2020

Beyond travel, a trans-Tasman bubble is an opportunity for Australia and NZ to reduce dependence on China
China still vital but balance is crucial.
May 7, 2020

Coronavirus redundancies are understandable, but there are alternatives
Creative options for cutting wage costs without having to make staff redundant.
May 6, 2020