How to identify the ‘zombie’ firms at risk of default
Looking at firms using both the interest coverage ratio (ICR) and Altman’s Z-score can help reveal whether a company might be in distress....
Ideas and inspiration
for business leaders
I by IMD is a business intelligence platform designed for today's leaders. We deliver expert-led insights, diverse perspectives, and practical learning tools to help decision-makers navigate critical business challenges.
In volatile times, the traditional strengths of the CFO come to the fore
In an era of geopolitical shocks, rapid technological change and large-scale corporate transformation, Woodside Energy’s CFO Graham Tiver argues that the core disciplines of finance leadership are more important than ever....
Continue reading
Share
Lessons in laughter can seriously improve your leadership
January 30, 2024 • by Emilia Bunea in Audio articles • 9 min read
A sprinkling of well-judged humor makes for better leadership. Through training and practice, executives can acquire the tools of comedy to enhance how they lead....
Audio available
Venture capital: generate impact or push for a healthy return?
January 29, 2024 • by Valentina Masseretti , Anita Quas , Stefano Romito, Clodia Vurro in Finance • 8 min read
Impact venture capital in Europe is generating lower financial returns than its traditional counterpart. Here are three possible reasons why....
The cooperative economy: A vision for tackling society’s grand challenges
A new book by Dovev Lavie, Professor at the Department of Management and Technology of Bocconi University, sets out an extraordinary plan to tackle urgent social problems of inequality, wealth concentration, loss...
YouTube
Challenging dogmatic narratives in venture capital, with Fergal Mullen – Part 1
January 26, 2024 • by Raphaël Grieco, Karl Schmedders in Capital Conversations • 1 min read • 
Podcast available
Fergal Mullen emphasizes that success metrics should extend beyond mere fund size and align with broader strategies at investment firms...
Seven psychological needs that underlie ‘problem’ behavior
January 26, 2024 • by Michael Yaziji in Audio articles • 11 min read
Executives often struggle to lead teams effectively because they are oblivious to the psychological factors that shape human behavior. Understanding and recognizing these factors opens the door to better outcomes....
- Audio available
How to manage emotions when facing defeat, with Zhike Lei
January 25, 2024 • by Zhike Lei in Management Cast • 2 min read • Podcast available
Professor Zhike Lei discusses how to create a failure-positive workplace and how to manage fear...
5 strategies to rejuvenate momentum towards boardroom diversity
As companies grapple with economic uncertainties, the progress towards more inclusive boards is slowing down. Broadening the talent search and investing in training programs are crucial for redressing the slide....
How social finance can drive sustainable development
Access to basic services and infrastructure remains out of reach for an alarming number of people. Social finance, targeted at addressing deep-set societal challenges, is one way for investors to make a...
TV Narendran’s steely resolve to keep Tata Steel fit for the future
Anticipating rising raw material costs, Tata Steel’s CEO & Managing Director TV Narendran tells IMD President Jean-François Manzoni how he introduced a change management process to instill a culture of future readiness...
- YouTube
Do aggregate economic profit outcomes align with established metrics about national business environments?
The economic profit measure developed in the Crux of Capitalism initiative is based solely on reported firm performance. As such it departs from established metrics of the national business environment...
Measuring impact wins public trust and is good for the bottom line
January 22, 2024 • by Sonja Haut in Audio articles • 11 min read
Impact metrics are not just about keeping regulators and investors happy, they can help unearth new pockets of value for companies, from talent and brand appeal to efficiency and innovation....
- Audio available
A fresh start is needed after the misadventures of venture capital
January 22, 2024 • by Jerry Davis in Audio articles • 8 min read
The venture capital model has failed far too many smaller firms seeking the funds to grow but, argues Jerry Davis, there is a better way....
- Audio available
Latest magazine
Events
Book Club webinar
New IMD podcast
Research
Exclusive videos
I by IMD books
Coaching tips
Brain Circuits
Latest podcasts
I by IMD Podcasts
Ralph Hamers, are ‘tech companies with a banking license’ the future of finance?
Former ING and UBS CEO Ralph Hamers on leading “banking’s biggest digital transformation” – and why AI may redefine financial advice.
June 18, 2026
Leaders Unplugged
Florence Gaub on reading the future: War, weak signals, and wild scenarios
NATO futurist Florence Gaub on war, weak signals, Gen Z, and why leaders need not only foresight, but also science fiction to future-proof their organizations
June 11, 2026
Leaders Unplugged
Jake Sullivan on power, production, and the remaking of the global order
Former U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on why the post-Cold War world is over – and who is shaping the new rules of global business
June 4, 2026
CEO Dialogue Series
Focus, bold bets, and a bit of fun: How a pharma chief is going for growth
Ipsen CEO David Loew tells Jean-François Manzoni how relentless focus, the Pareto principle, and having fun helped energize a mid-sized specialty pharma player to take on bigger rivals.
July 7, 2026
I by IMD Book Club
The business case for social capital
Discover how bonding and bridging capital fuel change. Insights from Raising Social Capital show why trust is your company’s hidden engine
June 16, 2026
Consumer Goods
Rethinking sustainability: Why customer value comes first
A new book challenges the conventional belief that sustainability alone drives customer purchases. In a webinar hosted by Karl Schmedders, the book’s co-author, Goutam Challagalla, explains how companies can make sustainability scalable by making it an enabler of innovation and growth.
May 28, 2026
Building trust
Are you unintentionally creating a toxic workplace?
Toxicity often starts when talk diverges from action. Learn diagnostic questions to reconcile lived experience with strategy and improve outcomes
July 8, 2026
Leadership
Is your legitimacy being questioned? Here’s how to respond
Having your legitimacy questioned can happen to anyone, particularly in novel, tense, or challenging circumstances. Here are three tools to deal with it.
July 7, 2026
Change management
Don’t just do something – sit there!
Leaders are conditioned to leap into action to meet challenges. But what if remaining calm and simply listening is what the people around you need in such moments?
July 3, 2026
Webinars
Webinars
Live events
Join our monthly webinars to develop your leadership skills and explore trending topics.