by Bruce | September 27, 2006 | About the Site, Articles, Compensation, Cultural Considerations, Leadership, Strategy
In a first, the legendary David Maister hosts this week’s BlawgReview, which I bring to your attention for the eclecticism of David’s selections. He does mention an "Adam Smith, Esq." piece reviewing "A Curmudgeon’s Guide to the...
by Bruce | September 26, 2006 | Articles, Cultural Considerations, Leadership, Partnership Structures, Practice Group Management, Strategy
Are you a vigilant or an operational leader? You may already intuit the difference, but it bears discussing, since our friends at Wharton have written about four leadership traits that count: External focus Conceptual ability Organizational role, and Time...
by Bruce | September 20, 2006 | Articles, Finance, Leadership, Strategy, Technology strategy
Is IT capable of providing a sustainable competitive advantage, as it has for American Airlines, Dell Computer, FedEx, and Wal-Mart, or is it a necessary—but not distinguishing—function that should be managed to operate smoothly at minimal cost (like...
by Bruce | September 12, 2006 | Articles, Compensation, Cultural Considerations, Finance, Globalization, Leadership, M&A, Partnership Structures, Practice Group Management, Strategy
It’s not our wont to try to "cover" late-breaking news—that’s not an arena where I care to compete, nor is it why I think you come to "Adam Smith, Esq."—but just as every rule has exceptions, so today’s word of merger...
by Bruce | September 11, 2006 | Articles, Cultural Considerations, Finance, Globalization, Leadership, Practice Group Management, Strategy, Technology strategy
In kicking off the core/required course "Strategic Technology & Innovation" that I’m teaching as an adjunct professor at SUNY/Stony Brook’s Graduate College of Business—a two-year program leading to an MBA for senior law firm managers...
by Bruce | September 9, 2006 | Articles, Finance, Leadership, Strategy, Technology strategy
Does this sound like your firm? IT is managed as one massive homogeneous lump, where the executive committee’s key concern seems to be managing (read: reducing) costs. Now, reducing costs (or increasing productivity, or mitigating risk) may be fine...