Bain Retail Holiday Newsletter #1
Bain & Company 10/24/2008
by Darrell Rigby and Kris Miller
Holiday spending is crucial to retailers' success, and this season could be one of the most challenging in decades. For many retailers, holiday sales account for 25% to 40% of annual revenue and an even greater percentage of profits. The purpose of this newsletter is to provide relevant information about holiday sales trends and strategies for success in this critical period. Updates will be distributed every two to three weeks throughout the holiday season to help you monitor both trends and results as the season unfolds.
Moving up in a downturn--or not
Results Brief newsletter 9/30/2008
by Darrell Rigby, Steve Ellis, Sam Rovit and Allen Schaar
In light of the extraordinary events in financial markets, this issue of Results Brief contains two relevant insights from Bain-one on the challenges and opportunities of managing through turbulence, and the other detailing the looming wave of big-company bankruptcies and how to minimize their impact.
Results July-August 2008: Business strategy brief
Bain & Company Belgium, Inc. 9/9/2008
In the Management feature of this edition, "Winning in emerging markets," Bain's Nicholas Bloch and Robert Schaus elaborate on six common practices that give consumer companies the edge over domestic competitors. Also in this issue: An editorial by Partner Jean-Charles van den Branden titled "Learning from the lucky 13" a guest interview with Robert Franssen, CEO, Allianz Belgium; and a look at a Bain toolkit on Revenue hunt.
Winning in emerging markets
Results Brief newsletter 6/17/2008
by Satish Shankar and Vijay Vishwanath
As growth slows in the mature markets of North America and Western Europe, some consumer goods companies have figured out how to tap into the purchasing power of a newly prosperous and growing middle class in emerging markets. The rewards can be substantial; in some product categories, growth there is three times that of developed markets. While each market requires different adaptations, the emerging market leaders share six common practices. What does it take to win?
How to make the most of your back office
Results Brief newsletter 6/20/2007
by Paul Rogers and Hernan Saenz
When back-office costs spiral and services fail to deliver, the reflex is often to cut support services across the board. But a recent Bain study of 37 companies-in industries ranging from consumer products to financial services to energy-shows that strategically trimming and reconfiguring support functions such as HR, finance and procurement is often smarter than making wholesale cuts. Done right, it can actually improve effectiveness as it reins in costs. Companies that focus on support services generate results, and they come in three flavors: higher revenues, more effective service and reduced costs.
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