Business News

The Aggregate: the B&F edit of the top stories from around the web 15.06.17

By Business & Finance
15 June 2017
diesel
Is it the end of the road for diesel as a fuel?

B&F’s pick of the top stories from around the web, from the end of diesel, to Amazon taking on the banks, and Elon Musk winning at employee relations


SOCIAL ENTERPRISE: No business like shoe business

The Epoch Times details one of those ideas that is so simple and beautiful, it’s hard to believe no one ever thought to do it before. ‘The Shoe That Grows’ is a sturdy and durable shoe that can expand over five shoe sizes, giving children in third world countries long-lasting footwear that fits.

The social enterprise model is unusual. Andrew Kroes, President of Because International explains: “Instead of just fundraising and distributing the shoes ourselves, we find partners who can help fund the production of the shoes and who are already serving kids in need.”

Read the whole story at The Epoch Times


PEOPLE SKILLS: Get down in the trenches

It reads like click bait: Elon Musk sent this amazing letter to Tesla employees and you won’t believe what happened next! Before you roll your eyes and scroll down, we recommend you do click through on this story.

With rates of injury on the Tesla production line 30% above the average, Musk’s positive action plan is exemplary in both problem solving and employee relations. The key takeaway, as detailed in this piece by Justin Bariso, is that “When a manager takes the time to work alongside a frustrated team member, with a goal of better understanding that person’s perspective, good things happen.”

Read the full story at Inc.


LEADERSHIP: What a ‘mare for Mayer

At the Harvard Business Review, Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic charts the learnings from Marissa Mayer’s departure from Yahoo.

“While Mayer’s reputation has been scarred now after her first attempt as CEO, her defenders will say that there was really not much she could have done with Yahoo — yet that argument is at odds with her compensation. (Although to be fair, Yahoo is far from the only suffering company to lavishly reward its CEO.),” he writes.

Read the full story at Harvard Business Review.


FINANCE: It’s a jungle out there. Is Amazon king?

Amazon has unveiled a new rewards programme for debit card users in the United States, in some ways not unlike AIB’s new Everyday Rewards scheme. However Amazon isn’t a bank. But will it step on the toes of banks? Apparently so…

Tanaya Macheel writes, “Forget the rumors about Amazon potentially buying a bank. Amazon practically is a bank. To date it has a foot in payments, cash, small business lending, consumer credit and now it’s coming for debit card users.”

Read the full story on Tearsheet


ENERGY: Is diesel running out of mileage?

On The Atlantic, Nicholas Clairmont presages the death of diesel.

“The story of diesel seems to have turned out to be a tragedy, because its good qualities are inexorably linked to its bad ones. And as with any good tragedy, everything seems to be building towards the death of the main character. In the modern world, diesel just doesn’t fit.”

Read the full story at The Atlantic