November 6, 2017

Trump Says Japan Should Buy U.S. Military Equipment to Protect Against North Korea

New York Times - Paywall

President Trump said on Monday that Japan could protect itself from a nuclear-armed North Korea by buying billions of dollars of American military equipment. Earlier, the President used a breakfast meeting of Japanese and American business executives to deliver a scathing critique of the trade relationship between the two countries.

Tax Proposal Frees Up CFOs to Decide Where to Deploy Capital

Fox Business

A lower, but mandatory, tax on offshore earnings could pave the way for U.S. companies to repatriate more than $1.3 trillion currently parked overseas. While current rules disincentivized companies from repatriating offshore earnings, the House tax proposal would remove that obstacle. Even if signed, however, it is unclear if the lower tax rate would be a boon to business investment in the U.S. Finance chiefs could use that money to extinguish any debt, because the tax bill would also curtail the deductions businesses get for the interest they pay on debt.

The Future of the Workplace

McKinsey & Company

Employers must consider how they think about giving their workers the kind of flexibility that they need—choices about working hours, working conditions, and working style. A recent McKinsey Q&A dives into the gig economy, automation, globalization, and other predictions for the future of the workplace.

The U.S. Added 261,000 Jobs in October

WSJ - Paywall

U.S. employers hired at a strong pace in October (adding 261,000 jobs), and revisions showed the labor market weathered hurricane damage better than previously estimated.

4 Core Tensions Leaders Need to Balance

Harvard Business Review

Successful strategy execution calls for balancing several opposing forces and competing needs, including an inspiring end-state versus challenging targets, top-down control versus democratization of change, capability development versus pressure for results, and creativity versus discipline. Companies that can achieve a balance between opposing forces are far more likely to realize successful strategies that endure.