Communications Review: Weathering the Storm

The current global economic crisis is so pervasive that it is now a given in every business conversation. While its precise effects vary among sectors and geographies, we are all undeniably facing one of the most challenging business environments the world has seen in decades, if not centuries. For the leaders in every organisation and every industry, the challenge is to identify and execute the best way to manage through the downturn while simultaneously positioning the business to capitalise fully on the recovery when it comes.

With its theme of "Weathering the storm", this issue includes articles on embracing disruption, collaboration, contract management, spectrum valuation and consumer spending habits.

The chapters include:

Embracing Disruption
Companies that grasp the opportunity to transform both their cost structures and their business operating models will be the eventual winners when the recovery finally dawns. By Rolf Meakin.

A Case for Collaboration
Managing sourcing effectively in a downturn is not about beating suppliers down on price, but rather about focusing on risk and risk management.
By Ian Corden, Bijan Khoeler-Zolfaghari and Benhard Raschke

Focussing on the Details
Effective contract management can help operators identify, assess, and recover what is typically 5% to 10% of a contract’s value in leakage.
By Qadir Marikar and Paul Townley-Jones

Timing is Everything
The next few years will bring significant awards of spectrum bandwidth and the timing could not be more challenging.
By Simon Harris, Darren Waterman, David Lancefield and Alastair Macpherson

The Speed of Life
The following is a summary of what we discovered during a discussion with an online community of over 750 consumers, ages 18-60, about the economic downturn and its effect on their media habits, usage, and attitudes.
By Deborah Bothun