Do X-Politicians come back as company directors?

There is life after politics, but is it in business? When politicians join company boards in Australia, the share price is more likely to drop than when a non-politician is appointed, says UQ Business School research. Don’t shareholders value the expertise that our former leaders bring to the boardroom? Or perhaps it’s a vote of confidence in our democracy?

Everyone knows the first thing you should do when starting a business is to write a business plan. Or is it? According to one school of thought, business plans are a waste of time because they are based on untested hypotheses. The lean startup movement has turned conventional business thinking on its head in an attempt to make the whole process of starting a company less risky.

Meditation is catching on amongst CEOs as the new way to get ahead. But can a few minutes of daily contemplation really improve your leadership skills or your company’s profitability?

Forget PowerPoint presentations - leaders need to be able to tell a good story if they are to make their ideas stick. Storytelling can help businesses to motivate staff and inspire brand loyalty. Now developments in the digital world are making this ancient art more relevant than ever.

Two heads are better than one, as the saying goes. But what if you could tap into the combined expertise of hundreds or thousands of people? Crowdsourcing allows companies to do just that – whether you are looking to solve a problem, find fresh ideas and inspiration or a new source of labour.

New research suggests that Australia’s controversial law to curb excessive executive pay has met with some success – but at a price.

With the rise of influencer marketing, companies are paying celebrities up to $10,000 a tweet to mention their products, while bloggers are benefiting from VIP treatment. But to what extent can a small number of people really influence opinions and drive sales?

Now there’s a new place to hang out at work. Enterprise social networks provide an online environment where employees can get to know their colleagues, work together and exchange ideas.

We have heard a lot about it but is it just a buzzword? Here are six ways in which big data is being used in business and society at large.