I by IMD

I by IMD offers first-person business intelligence from the brightest thinkers in academia, business and society. Written by experts for experts, we present a platform for debate on the latest issues in management, strategy, technology, finance, team building and innovation. Our content ecosystem is designed to spark conversation and deliver actionable insights to a broad and engaged global audience. We host conversations – via articles, comment pieces, videos and podcasts – about the latest issues in management. Whether ideas about companies or office politics, we aim to spark debate – you may not agree with everything you read here – and to deliver actionable insights to an engaged global executive audience.

America 250: understanding the rules of engagement

A question of identity: the eternal struggle to define America • Simon J Evenett explores 250 years of contested American identity. and explains why tracking these deep philosophical battles is crucial for managing corporate risk

The six traditions fighting for supremacy • Six philosophical traditions have been fighting to represent the idea of America since the days of the Founding Fathers. Their cheerleaders do not take turns; they conduct an unruly, noisy debate all at once.

Detective work: where to look for clues

Does SpaceX herald a new era of corporate dictatorship? • Only Elon Musk can fire Elon Musk. This does not bode well for investors, pensioners, or democracy, warns Jerry Davis

How to build up your courage, one step at a time • Workplace bravery is too often seen through the lens of a few heroic whistleblowers. But choosing small everyday acts of courage is a skill that can be learned by everyone, writes Jim Detert

MAKING IT WORK: THREE TIPS FOR CHOOSING COURAGE

HOW TO USE THE COURAGE LADDER

When a safe anchor becomes a loose cannon

Focus, bold bets, and a bit of fun: how a pharma chief is going for growth • Ipsen CEO David Loew tells Jean-François Manzoni how a disciplined approach, the Pareto principle, and having fun helped energize a mid-sized specialty pharma player to take on bigger rivals

10 leading questions

How tracksuit diplomacy can help you reach your goals • Once the preserve of men in pinstripes, international sports stars have redefined the art of diplomacy. Lindsay Sarah Krasnoff explains the new rules of the game and how business leaders can benefit from using similar tactics

THREE RULES OF THE DIPLOMACY GAME FOR LEADERS

Get on base: buy runs not reputations

The great reversal: how to survive in the China pressure cooker • Homegrown brands are overtaking once prestigious multinationals in China. Winter Nie, Yunfei Feng, and Marco Gadola offer three pathways for global players to respond

A STRATEGIC DIAGNOSTIC: MAPPING YOUR FUTURE IN CHINA

Building a competitive and resilient energy system in Europe

No job title required: anyone can be a catalyst for change • Valuable social and environmental initiatives can come from anywhere. Elisa Alt, Katrin Heucher, and Sara Soderstrom offer a research-backed roadmap for leaders to activate the ‘change agents’ already on the payroll

Is your AI a witness for the defense or prosecution? • Organizations have historically maintained a comfortable distance between corporate rhetoric and operating reality, but all that changed with AI. Boards must move past performative oversight or face severe regulatory and reputational risks, writes Hongze Abraham Lu

5 KEY QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF

DO YOU KNOW? • Test your knowledge in the first of a regular series

Starting to lose focus? Take a well-earned (micro) break • Leaders can sustain performance and make better decisions by managing their cognitive energy as deliberately as they manage their time, writes Alyson...