Thoughts on business, without the fashion
Short articles and practical guides for owners and leaders. No jargon, no secret formulas: just ideas we have seen work, and questions worth asking.
Vietnam's moment
The country has much going for it. The companies that benefit most will be those that combine Vietnamese energy with steady, well-organised management.
Read the article →ArticleCapital that builds
Investment from outside can be a great gift. A few simple questions help make sure it keeps on giving.
Read the article →ArticleThere is no secret formula
Why we are sceptical of management fashions, and what we do instead.
Read the article →ArticleWorking together, the Dutch way
A small, flat country with few natural resources became one of the world's great traders and food exporters. Some of its habits may feel surprisingly familiar in Vietnam.
Read the article →ArticleSpend wisely, not more
When a business is under pressure, a big new investment can look like the way out. Often the better path starts with smaller, cheaper steps.
Read the article →ArticleGo and see
A few Japanese working habits that cost little and can change a great deal.
Read the article →ArticleBefore you buy the software
Artificial intelligence and digital tools can help a great deal. A little preparation helps them help you.
Read the article →ArticleGrowing older, working smarter
Japan aged first. Its experience offers Vietnam useful ideas while the workforce is still young.
Read the article →ArticleStick to your strengths, then build on them
What Europe's 'hidden champions' can teach ambitious Vietnamese companies.
Read the article →ArticleEurope's green rules: a door as well as a wall
New European rules on deforestation and carbon can look like extra paperwork. For well-organised Vietnamese suppliers, they may also be an opening.
Read the article →ArticleBuilding a company that outlives its founder
Family businesses are the backbone of many economies. A few simple structures help them pass from one generation to the next.
Read the article →Free to download, free to share
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Ten questions before you buy software
A one-page checklist for owners and managers, to use before any new system, app or AI tool is chosen.
A family charter on one page
The questions a family business can settle calmly today, so they need not be argued about tomorrow.
Before you welcome an investor
Ten questions to settle before outside capital joins your company, so the partnership strengthens it for years to come.
Cash first, then investment
A calm checklist to use before taking on a new loan or starting a large investment.
Keeping experience in the company
Eight steps to keep the know-how of your most experienced people and help them stay on, if they wish.
First steps towards traceability
Simple record-keeping that prepares suppliers for European and Japanese buyers' questions on origin and carbon.
Tools and references
- Readiness checkTen short questions about your business, with an instant summary. Nothing is stored or sent.
- What a first assessment looks likeAn illustrated example of how we begin: the questions we ask, a process map and the measures we agree.
- Glossary of management ideasKaizen, genba, governance, succession and more, explained in plain words.
- Our reading shelfA handful of books we return to again and again.
- What we believeThe principles behind the way we work.