Strategic Direction

The purpose of this paper is to review the recent developments within the non-military drone industry, and the increase thereafter of investment within the industry through mergers and acquisitions.

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

The rapid growth of the drone industry has caught the interest of firms and one mode of entry for many of these firms has been through mergers and acquisitions of emerging drone companies. Although the commercial-drone industry is still in its early stages, market consolidations and major investments are occurring despite strict governmental regulations.

The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations.

The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

The aim of this viewpoint is to highlight the key steps in re‐imagining a business, as articulated by senior executives; to present the nature of the challenges and a summary of best practices discussed by strategy executives.

The recent financial crisis has presented twin challenges for organizations: how to profitably grow the business, but at the same time how to respond to the public's perceived trust and legitimacy concerns about business. These challenges were discussed in depth by senior executives attending a recent management conference. This summary is provided by a professor whose teaching and research focus on strategy and innovation, and distills the findings of the conference down to a guideline for strategic action.

Executives have discovered that re‐imagining the business can address both concerns simultaneously. Re‐imagining involves three steps: embracing outside‐in innovation, re‐conceiving the company's core and vision, and aligning the organization and its incentives. Re‐imagining is not change, it is extending and leveraging your company's strengths.

Strategic action steps for re‐imagining are provided in a concise outline format.

Ideas about new forms of innovation and the need to address social concerns about business usually stay at a general level. This paper provides actionable information derived from success stories of companies that have already gone down this path.

To discover Nigel Nicholson's views of the implications of evolutionary psychology for business.

Nigel Nicholson speaks to editor Sarah Powell about the implications of evolutionary psychology for business. Nigel Nicholson has been a professor at the London Business School since 1990, holding the positions of Chairman of the Organisational Behaviour department (twice), Research Dean, member of the governing body and Deputy Dean. He is widely known for pioneering the introduction of the new science of evolutionary psychology to business. Current major research interests include the psychology of family business, personality and leadership, and people skills in management. Before becoming a business psychologist, he pursued a career as a journalist.

Reveals Nigel Nicholson's views on the implications of evolutionary psychology for business.

Provides the views of a pioneer in the field of business studies.