The ACS Blog

One number stands out even in that exalted company. It is a number that we fear and venerate. It is a number that is fluid and then becomes stone. It is a number that defines the limits of what’s possible. That number is the budget.

The best insights often come from surprises, and the best surprises often come from simulations. Here we’ll talk about surprises in both business and crisis simulations, and actionable insights.

Steven Shore and Barry Prevor aren’t so different from you and me. They showed guts and commitment, and they succeeded for a long time, and they may continue to succeed. And they, like us, are vulnerable. The question is, vulnerable to what?

No one could predict cheap fuel would end this Thursday or two Wednesdays ago or a week from Friday. Almost anyone could predict that the ride would end eventually.

As human beings we are all familiar with the dig-in-our-heels sensation of resisting change. How do we know in which changes we ought to invest our time and treasure?

We often ask, how do we get better crystal balls? But the problem isn’t only that crystal balls are cloudy. Our vision can be cloudy too.

“Decades ago, GM controlled half of the U.S. market… Last month,… GM’s share of the U.S. vehicle market sank to 19.4%, according to Autodata Corp.” (WSJ, 6/24/08) We note in passing the “controlled” language, and wonder: If GM really controlled the market, would it have let its share decline so much?