DeAngelisReview

Although many experts insist that companies must be data-driven, they also point out that collecting data is of little value until it is analyzed for insights. The problem with most data is that it assumes the future will look like the past. That is not always true. The best analysis looks forward as well as backward. It takes current trends into account as well as past performance.

Quantum computers rely on quantum bits (or qubits), which are notoriously fragile. This fragility means that quantum computers are also subject to errors. Fortunately, researchers are working furiously to overcome these challenges. Every breakthrough step brings the goal of a universal, programmable quantum computer a little closer.

The world depends on trust to conduct business and governmental affairs. Unfortunately, there is a growing lack of trust between America and China. Journalist Thomas Friedman notes, “Just when trust has become more important than ever between the U.S. and China, it also has become scarcer than ever. Bad trend.”

The term “globalization” has fallen out of favor, but global trade remains a hot topic. Globalization is all about flows. The flow of people. The flow of capital. The flow of resources. The flow of goods and services. The flow of data. And the flow of ideas. Most of these flows face challenges. McKinsey & Company analysts conclude, “To negotiate an era that may be more complex and challenging requires a deeper understanding of the full picture of global flows, their networks and evolution, and potential scenarios for the future. Looking at the entire range of global flows, it is clear that the world is not defaulting to deglobalization, but that global connections are reconfiguring.”

Genuine global leadership does not mean authoritarian leadership. The World Economic Forum suggests that “systems leadership” is a better model. “Systems leadership is about cultivating a shared vision for change — working together with all stakeholders of global society. It’s about empowering widespread innovation and action based on mutual accountability and collaboration.” Even the systems leadership model requires a champion and America still needs to fill that role.

Some experts insist that a ‘business as usual’ mindset can lead to irrelevance. The speed of today’s business cannot be achieved using yesterday’s technology. To operate successfully in the years ahead, enterprises must be more autonomous (i.e., self-driven, self-optimizing, and free to adapt).

There is little doubt that China’s aggressive policies affect global trade. As a result, there have been shrill calls for the United States to decouple its economy from trade with China completely. Even if such a strategy were possible, pursuing it would not be in anyone's best interests. Throughout the Cold War, the world witnessed the negative impacts of isolating some economies.

Bain analysts Michael C. Mankins and Lori Sherer assert, “The best way to understand any company’s operations is to view them as a series of decisions.” If corporate operations are truly characterized by a series of decisions, then improving decision-making should be high on any business executive’s priority list.