Blog

What does it mean to be at the helm of affairs today? In the rapidly changing world of business, ideas about leaders and their style of operation are keeping pace with a democratic world. By Deborah Tarrant

David Gonski AO, leading corporate chairman, director, university chancellor and philanthropist, talks with Jennifer Alexander about the chairman's role and the things that matter to him in business and society.

When it comes to successfully marketing a premium brand or product, advertising is rarely an option. Instead it's all about networking. Chris Sheedy reports.

Soon after Carole Renouf assumed the position of Director of the Garvan Research Foundation, she was faced with a challenging conundrum. A major part of her job description was to raise money for the Garvan Institute and to inform and educate the public about the role the institute plays. But many of the Garvan's main donors, research had shown, had a different point of view.

Physical and electronic security is becoming more complex even as it remains paramount to business interests. David Braue discusses the changing nature of total corporate protection.

In January this year, as part of a guerilla marketing campaign in Boston, electronic devices were used depicting the Mooninites, characters from the Aqua Teen Hunger Force cartoon. Boston authorities, thinking the devices looked suspicious, closed down roads and waterways to investigate. It paralysed the city.

Australian managerial talent is making its presence felt in the world market in a wide variety of sectors and at all levels of business. Darren Baguley investigates the reasons why Aussies are sought after in the world of management.

The Commonwealth Bank's Chief Executive, Ralph Norris, has one of the most challenging jobs around. Jennifer Alexander asked him for his thoughts on management issues, and what it takes to inspire 35,000 staff.

Sound products, clever ideas and the right plan are what you need for a successful move into overseas markets. A little chutzpah doesn't go astray either. By Jane Cherrington

"I haven't the foggiest how to sew," says Sean Ashby blithely. Fortunately for the rapidly expanding menswear company aussieBum, his doggedness launched a business that, in theory, should never have survived.

In documenting Australian executive culture, Professor Leonie Still has captured our corporate elders' achievements and values as a benchmark for future generations.

If the best intentions of historical recording are to objectively document human actions and beliefs, Professor Leonie Still's generational study of Australian male and female executives will be appreciated by social researchers in the future.

Lynelle Briggs, Public Service Commissioner, represents the changing face of our public sector. Here she talks to Jennifer Alexander about the management challenges for public sector reform, human resources and "wicked" problems.