What I read this week...
Week 111
STRATEGY & MANAGEMENT
“Boeing is at a critical juncture. The seeds of its current problems date back to the late 1990s following its acquisition of rival McDonnell Douglas. Before that giant tie-up, Boeing had boasted a culture dominated by engineering excellence that elevated product quality and safety far above profit-making. Though Boeing remained a wellspring of innovation, the McDonnell ethos took over, and was accelerated by a parade of CEOs who seemed to prioritize shareholder value above all. From 2010 to 2018, Boeing radically reduced headcount and R&D as a share of sales, and returned over 100% of its cash flow to shareholders via buybacks and dividends. Over those eight years, its stock delivered annual returns of nearly 30%, beating the likes of Apple and Microsoft… to ensure dominance in the next decade, Boeing’s top chance at besting Airbus is designing and successfully commercializing a totally new and disruptive 737 successor….”
With almost 8,500 hotels around the world, Hilton is getting into cruises (Sherwood)
“The hotel industry is coming down with a serious case of cabin fever, as Hilton Worldwide becomes the latest lodgings chain to announce a cruise offering, following the likes of Marriott and Four Seasons, per Bloomberg reporting…Last year, Hilton opened more than two hotels on average every single day”
INDIA
Blinkit Inventory Model: A Cure For The Cash Burn Problem? (Inc42)
Did Tata Motors just bet the house on Iveco? (Finshots)
How some IIMs hide the jobless to claim ‘100% placement’ (The Ken)
Here’s why no one can run a profitable airline in India! (Finshots TV)
Strategic Musings
“There is usually an inverse relationship between how much something is on your mind and how much it’s getting done.” —David Allen
Caught my eye…
