The McKinsey Quarterly

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McKinsey Quarterly is the business journal of McKinsey & Company.

agile operations for volatile times article, mitigating downside operational risk, Operations

MAY 2012

Agile operations for volatile times

By improving how risk is measured—and managed—in global operations, companies can adapt to changing conditions faster than competitors.

Editors’ Choice
  • human factor in service design article, how companies can make customer service more efficient and effective, Operations

    JANUARY 2012

    The human factor in service design

    Focus on the human side of customer service to make it psychologically savvy, economically sound, and easier to scale.

  • another oil shock article, oil demand will rise faster than oil supply, Energy, Resources, Materials

    NOVEMBER 2011

    Another oil shock?

    It’s possible, though far from certain, that oil prices will spike in the years ahead. Here’s why—and how you can prepare.

    Includes: Interactive
  • country level strategies fail in emerging markets article, urban cluster strategies for emerging markets, Strategy

    APRIL 2011

    Is your emerging-market strategy local enough?

    The diversity and dynamism of China, India, and Brazil defy any one-size-fits-all approach. But by targeting city clusters within them, companies can seize growth opportunities.

  • legacy insurance products article, economies of scale, Operations

    DECEMBER 2010

    The value in outsourcing legacy insurance products

    Insurers that outsource the IT and administration of policies underwritten years ago can improve customer satisfaction, lower costs, and even reduce capital requirements.

  • A truer picture of China's export machine article, consumption in China, Chinese manufacturing, Chinese economic growth, China’s reliance on exports, role exports in China’s growth, total exports, net exports, domestic value-added exports, China’s domestic consumption, China in the downturn, Strategy

    SEPTEMBER 2010

    A truer picture of China’s export machine

    China’s growth depends less on exports than conventional wisdom suggests.

  • A better way to measure shop floor costs article, operating efficiency, cost of goods sold, manufacturing productivity, production volumes, production mix, variable costs, cost accounting methods, cost drivers, labor costs, Operations

    AUGUST 2010

    A better way to measure shop floor costs

    Disparities between financial and factory-level productivity measures exist at many manufacturing facilities. Better alignment can improve efficiency, pricing, and product strategies.

    Includes: Interactive
Rethinking the supply chain
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