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Building Prosperity Through Architecture

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

When is a building more than a building? And what effect can a spectacular architectural creation have on the economy of its urban home? Emblematic buildings can bring economic, socio-cultural, environmental, touristic and commercial impact to a city or region, and define a city itself. These buildings and their impact warrant a closer look.

Profit With Principles

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Imagine you are the general manager of a Spanish company with hotels in the Caribbean. On your first trip there, you discover candidates for cleaning staff at your hotel are required to have pregnancy tests. It’s legal, and no one seems to mind, but it occurs to you that women could be having abortions to get jobs. What do you do? In his new book, Business Ethics in Action, Domènec Melé poses dilemmas like this in a bid to get the new generation of managers, executives and consultants thinking about how to deal ethically.

Work Longer, Retire Better

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The aging population and economic uncertainties have cast doubt over whether we will still be able to rely on a state pension when we retire. In their paper, Javier Díaz-Giménez and Julián Díaz-Saavedra calculate the effects that prolonging retirement by three years would have on Spain’s current pension system, and recommend that policy makers give it serious thought.

Entrepreneurial Ecosystems

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Start-up companies are not born from one mind alone; rather, they are the result of teamwork by people who work within an inspiring and supportive environment, or ecosystem, according to IESE Prof. Julia Prats and Roland Berger Strategy Consultant’s Benno Van Dongen. In their paper, the authors offer insights into how to stimulate entrepreneurship at a time when today’s starts-ups could be the boost the economy needs to get out of the crisis.

Nothing is Free, Just Ask Nadal

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Indian Wells 2009, fourth round. Rafa Nadal takes on David Nalbandian, one of the few tennis players that he has yet to defeat. The Argentine has him in a bind, but with an incredible fighting spirit, Nadal rises up and wins, once again. How does he do it? IESE Prof. Santiago Álvarez de Mon considers the case of "Rafael Nadal: The Champion and the Person."

ICT: Fourth Strongest Sector in Spanish Economy

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The importance of IT relative to a country’s GDP is one of the indicators of economic development. Although the Spanish ICT sector remains far from the European average, it has seen unprecedented growth in recent years, and is currently the economy’s fourth strongest, ahead of both agriculture and energy. According to the 2009 edition of the BIT study in Spain, conducted by IESE in collaboration with the UCLA Anderson School of Management, ICT has been a driver of growth for Spain.

Advertising: An Insider’s Tales from the Dark Side

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

In 2000, Frédéric Beigbeder shocked the world with his novel about the frivolity of the advertising industry as told by a former creative professional. Now it’s Xavier Oliver’s turn, as the former head of BBDO Spain has penned a new book that exposes the evils of an industry besieged by the cruelest aspects of capitalism.

Roadmap to Improve the Spanish Job Market

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Spanish government recently unveiled a series of measures aimed at dealing with the nation’s unemployment rate, which is higher than in any other European country as a result of the recession. Amidst public calls for labor reform, IESE Prof. Sandalio Gómez examines specific characteristics of the Spanish job market and analyzes their impact on unemployment.

Two´s Company in a Cold Climate

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

It may be more difficult than ever for companies to grow, but investors still expect it. So while credit is down and money’s too tight to mention, joint ventures are on the rise. Partnerships are popping up everywhere, with companies from Fiat to Gazprom collaborating with others. A new study on joint ventures conducted by IESE and KPMG looks at how and why firms team up, and advises the best way to go about it.

Telecom in Spain Not in Line With E.U. Average

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Spain needs to stimulate competition in the telecommunications sector to bring rates and user levels in line with the European average. It must also introduce appropriate regulation to promote the expansion of next-generation networks. A new report by IESE’s Ángel Luis Lopez and Sandra Jódar Rosell contributes to the debate over which measures would be most effective.