All Publications

2015

1. China Center Chart of the Week: Downward pressures on real estate building across Chinese cities nationwide
   

   03 March, 2015 | China Center Publications

   Price declines are widespread across cities in China, contrary to the view that real-estate bubbles are a more regional, than national, problem.

2. Ready-Now Leaders: Meeting Tomorrow's Manufacturing Talent Challenges
   

   02 March, 2015 | Research Report

   When manufacturing leaders are subpar, their lack of skills affects your entire talent supply chain.

3. China Economist and Business Planners Roundtable -- Session Report
   

   02 March, 2015 | China Center Publications

   A summary of discussion points, learnings, business issues, poll results, and member insights from the December 2014 China Economists and Business Planners Roundtable.

4. Sustainability Practices 2015 Key Findings
   

   24 February, 2015 | Key Findings

   Key findings from the Sustainability Practices Dashboard 2015, the comprehensive database and online benchmarking tool that captures the most recent environmental and social practices by large public companies globally.

5. Sustainability Practices 2015 Dashboard
   

   24 February, 2015 | Sustainability Practices Dashboard

   The Conference Board Sustainability Practices Dashboard analyzes the most recent disclosure of environmental and social practices by public companies around the world.

6. Conference Board Economics Watch® Emerging Markets View
   

   23 February, 2015 | Economics Watch Reports

   Growth outlooks for the emerging economies are mixed, with increasing uncertainties in 2015

7. Conference Board Economics Watch^® European View
   

   23 February, 2015 | Economics Watch Reports

   Modest upsides in the European economy materialize, as concerns over Greece remain.

8. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
   

   23 February, 2015 | Economics Watch Reports

   The year 2015 is off to a good start, remaining fairly strong relative to long-term trend.

9. Gateway to Effective Employee Engagement and Improved Performance: Insights from the 2014 Talent Acquisition and Onboarding Conference
   

   19 February, 2015 | Conference KeyNotes

   Companies are realizing the best talent is often already employed and that the best way to attract them is to have a strong talent brand.

10. Buy, Build, Borrow, or None of the Above? New Options for Closing Global Talent Gaps: Implications for the CHRO
    

    11 February, 2015 | Key Business Issues

    With talent shortages looming, companies may rely too much and too quickly on their default strategies without asking the right questions or fully examining available options. This report provides case studies and sample questions for CHROs.

11. Buy, Build, Borrow, or None of the Above? New Options for Closing Global Talent Gaps
    

    11 February, 2015 | Key Business Issues

    As talent shortages become all too real for HR practitioners, unique and creative solutions are going to be required to bridge the resulting gaps—and most likely not the ones routinely used. This report explains how to determine those solutions.

12. Rethinking Today’s Succession Strategies to Address Tomorrow’s Business Reality: Insights from the 2014 Succession Management Conference
    

    11 February, 2015 | Conference KeyNotes

    To successfully address future business challenges, organizations need to be strategic about how they plan for future leadership. This includes identifying high performers early and preparing leaders through experiential learning.

13. Evolution of D&I Management: Current Trends in an Era of Globalization
    

    05 February, 2015 | Research Report

    Implementing behavioral interventions to address unconscious bias and using analytics to measure D&I progress are two practices uncovered in our interviews with over 30 D&I thought leaders.

14. DNA of Engagement: How Organizations Create and Sustain Highly Engaging Cultures (Strategic Overview)
    

    04 February, 2015 | Key Business Issues

    Highly engaged workforces can mean the difference between surviving and winning. Engagement boosts business performance, agility, and retention of talent. But exactly how do organizations achieve higher levels of engagement?

15. GLOBAL ECONOMIC OUTLOOK 2015 How Will the Global Economy Cope with Slowing Workforce Growth: Implications for the CHRO
    

    02 February, 2015 | Key Business Issues

    Smaller labor supply slows economic growth. Labor productivity can offset this, and it will mainly come from investments in innovation and new technology. But to see returns, CHROs will need to maximize their human capital.

16. China Center Data Flash: Despite the 2014 GDP print, weakness prevails in Q4
    

    02 February, 2015 | China Center Publications

    In January, the NBS announced that China’s Q4 GDP growth came in at 7.3 percent, unchanged from Q3, and leading to full-year growth of 7.4 percent for 2014. We are highly skeptical of this topline print. However, we do see some important trends.

17. Diversity on Corporate Boards: How Much Difference Does “Difference” Make?
    

    30 January, 2015 | Director Notes

    This report evaluates the case for diversity on corporate boards of directors in light of competing research findings and suggests strategies to promote more inclusive boards.

18. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
    

    23 January, 2015 | Economics Watch Reports

    The year 2015 should finally see a stronger economic expansion.

19. Conference Board Economics Watch^® European View
    

    23 January, 2015 | Economics Watch Reports

    Quantitative easing, a low euro, and cheap oil provide modest upsides for an otherwise sluggish European economy.

20. Framing Social Impact Measurement: CHRO Implications
    

    21 January, 2015 | Key Business Issues

    For human resources professionals, impact often comes in the form of social outcomes, talent development, and business value. Measuring these effectively could mean more successful employee engagement.

21. China Center Chart of the Week: Pricing for newly constructed real estate – between a rock and a hard place
    

    08 January, 2015 | China Center Publications

    Despite the apparent weakening of buyer sentiment towards real estate in China, average prices of newly constructed apartments reportedly dropped by only 3.2 percent in 2013, even though sales of new apartments reportedly dropped by 8.9 percent.

22. Conference Board CEO Challenge® 2015: Creating Opportunity out of Adversity—Building Innovative, People-Driven Organizations (CHRO)
    

    07 January, 2015 | Key Business Issues

    CEOs cite high-quality talent as their most critical business challenge, and they expect human capital practitioners to devise effective “grow-your-own” strategies to engage and develop their future workforces.

23. Conference Board CEO Challenge® 2015: Creating Opportunity out of Adversity—Building Innovative, People-Driven Organizations (Strategic Overview)
    

    07 January, 2015 | Key Business Issues

    In the current slow-growth global economic environment, CEOs say they are relying on product and process innovation, more productive use of technology, a stronger leadership bench, and increased employee engagement to contribute to organizational success.

24. Conference Board CEO Challenge® 2015: Creating Opportunity out of Adversity—Building Innovative, People-Driven Organizations
    

    07 January, 2015 | Key Business Issues

    CEOs are undeterred in their quest for new sources of growth and show few signs of hunkering down in the defensive postures seen in the years immediately following the 2008 financial crisis.

25. Navigating the Sustainability Transformation
    

    05 January, 2015 | Director Notes

    This report describes a four-stage model for companies to progress from engaging initially with sustainability to accelerating, leading, and, ultimately, transforming their businesses.

2014

1. 2014 Executive Coaching Survey
   

   22 December, 2014 | Research Report

   External and internal coaching are being used to develop critical skills. This report focuses on both practices and allows organizations to benchmark against more than 140 respondents.

2. Conference Board Economics Watch^® European View
   

   18 December, 2014 | Economics Watch Reports

   Europe’s 2015 growth is poised for some strengthening, but maybe not enough to keep potential output from falling.

3. Creating the Right Voice and Content for Social Media
   

   18 December, 2014 | Executive Action Report

   Companies must craft the right brand voice and content to get a bigger impact from their social branding efforts. Firms are expanding their view of their customers for more opportunities to engage with them.

4. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
   

   18 December, 2014 | Economics Watch Reports

   The US economy is poised to strengthen moderately while global headwinds provide some pushback

5. China Center Quick Note: The AML Battleground - Looking Behind and Beyond the Current Regulatory Salvo
   

   17 December, 2014 | China Center Publications

   History suggests that current Anti-Monopoly Law (AML) machinations emanate from a deep love of and dependence on elite-controlled monopolies in China, and a deep hatred of foreign positions that contest them.

6. Future China Business Leader: The Challenges of Being a Global Leader in an Era of "Painful Happiness"
   

   16 December, 2014 | Research Report

   Participants in the Future China Business Leader project believe that, while there is much to admire in Chinese business leadership styles today, future leaders will need to adapt their style considerably to meet a rapidly changing global environment.

7. Long Soft Fall in Chinese Growth: Implications for the CFO
   

   16 December, 2014 | Key Business Issues

   How do you grow in a time of slowing growth? For CFOs and finance executives, China's economy presents unique challenges. This function-specific summary details the challenges and opportunities for CFOs to help position their MNCs for success in China.

8. Long Soft Fall in Chinese Growth: Implications for the CHRO
   

   16 December, 2014 | Key Business Issues

   As seen in consecutive years of The Conference Board CEO Challenge^®, talent is paramount. So as China's record economic growth becomes a thing of the past, how will CHROs secure talent to position their MNCs to succeed as the future unfolds?

9. BoardAsia Newsletter
   

   15 December, 2014 | Periodical

   Major news covered in this issue includes an overview of the research report on The Long Soft Fall in Chinese Growth and highlights on The Conference Board Key Business Issues Briefings.

10. Long Soft Fall in Chinese Growth: Strategic Overview
    

    15 December, 2014 | Key Business Issues

    In an unprecedented time of slow economic growth in China, CEOs and CSOs can look to this Strategic Overview for detailed recommendations on how to plan and prepare their organizations for a long soft fall.

11. China CEO Council Session Report -- The China Dream for MNCs
    

    08 December, 2014 | China Center Publications

    A summary of discussion points, learnings, business issues, poll results, and member insights from the November 13, 2014, China CEO Council, hosted by Unilever in Shanghai.

12. Shareholder Proposals on Social and Environmental Issues
    

    05 December, 2014 | Director Notes

    Political spending and climate change, key topics during the proxy 2014 season, are expected to feature heavily again in 2015 shareholder proposals.

13. China Center -- What to Watch for: China’s multilateral and regional trade negotiations
    

    05 December, 2014 | China Center Publications

    The political-economy factors driving China’s soft fall lead us to be skeptical that domestic-led economic reform will be possible. However, the potential for coercing certain reforms via an outside-in, WTO-style roadmap may still exist.

14. China Center Chart of the Week: A closer look at declining real estate investment
    

    01 December, 2014 | China Center Publications

    Real Estate Investment (REI) has been a key driver of China’s economic growth for well over 10 years, accounting for between 12 and 20 percent of Chinese GDP. There is great concern about the potential impacts of an REI slowdown.

15. China Center Data Flash: Slowing growth and weak loan demand trigger PBoC action
    

    01 December, 2014 | China Center Publications

    Despite a recent spate of large-scale infrastructure project approvals by the NDRC, economic growth continued on its downward trend, as Q4 started, and looks to have deteriorated further in November, prompting an interest rate cut by the central bank.

16. Framing Social Impact Measurement
    

    25 November, 2014 | Key Business Issues

    Measuring true social impact means moving beyond counting donations and the people reached, to a deeper approach that shows long-term changes. This report helps explain what that means.

17. Framing Social Measurement Impact: STRATEGIC OVERVIEW
    

    25 November, 2014 | Key Business Issues

    In an age of strategic philanthropy, sophisticated social impact measurement can help you capitalize on business opportunities.

18. StraightTalk® Global Economic Outlook 2015: Are We Asleep at the Wheel?
    

    24 November, 2014 | Key Business Issues

    While a cautious outlook for the global economy seems justified, does it cause us to leave opportunities on the table for too long?

19. On the Record with Kathy Mazzarella
    

    21 November, 2014 | Executive Action Report

    Kathy Mazzarella is one of only 24 female CEOs in the Fortune 500 to date. The Conference Board spoke with Mazzarella about her unique trajectory to the top.

20. Conference Board Economics Watch^® European View
    

    20 November, 2014 | Economics Watch Reports

    The Euro Area recovery remains frail, but another recession is avoided.

21. StraightTalk® Global Economic Outlook 2015: Are We Asleep at the Wheel?
    

    12 November, 2014 | StraightTalk®

    While a cautious outlook for the global economy seems justified, does it cause us to leave opportunities on the table for too long?

22. Global Growth Projections for The Conference Board Global Economic Outlook 2015
    

    12 November, 2014 | Economics Program Working Paper Series

    This paper presents the methodology for The Conference Board Global Economic Outlook 2015, including projections for 11 major regions.

23. Global Economic Outlook 2015: Finding Opportunities in a Global Slowdown: GLOBAL OVERVIEW
    

    12 November, 2014 | Key Business Issues

    In a slow-growth global economy, where are the opportunities? This analysis of the business outlook across seven regions offers clues to firms that are willing to think long term.

24. Proxy Voting Analytics (2010-2014)
    

    07 November, 2014 | Research Report

    There’s been a fundamental shift in the type of resolutions shareholders submit, and activists are increasingly using social media to agitate for change outside of the AGM, 2014 data show.

25. Creating the Future by Re-creating the Workplace: Insights from the 2014 Women's Leadership Conference
    

    31 October, 2014 | Conference KeyNotes

    There is no question women make great leaders. Both organizations and women can take actions to move women further up the corporate ladder.

26. Report Back: Crowd-Sourcing Solutions to Leadership Issues in Asia
    

    30 October, 2014 | Research Report

    This report provides a summary of three crowd-sourced events in the Future Business Leader Un-Conference series.

27. China Center Chart of the Week: China’s growth rate for R&D investment is not exceptionally fast
    

    29 October, 2014 | China Center Publications

    Science policy analysts are concerned that, if China keeps expanding R&D investment at its current rate, China will surpass the United States in R&D spending in the near future. Our research suggests otherwise.

28. Second Acts in Prime Time: Helping Employees Transition to Post-retirement Careers
    

    29 October, 2014 | Executive Action Report

    Innovative firms are rethinking their retirement models to hold on to baby boomer talent and engage employees as they transition to second act careers.

29. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
    

    23 October, 2014 | Economics Watch Reports

    The outlook for the US economy is unchanged, despite financial market turmoil.

30. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Talent Management (Vol. 4, No. 2, 2014)
    

    22 October, 2014 | Human Capital in Review

    This publication explores hot topics in talent management research and includes summaries on human capital trends. Topics include China's talent landscape and use of social media to identify potential hires.

31. Giving in Numbers: 2014 Edition
    

    21 October, 2014 | Research Report

    An in-depth analysis of 2013 corporate giving and employee engagement data from 261 of the world's leading companies.

32. Streamlining Product Safety and Regulatory Information along the Value Chain
    

    21 October, 2014 | Council Perspectives

    The lack of consistent approaches for sharing product stewardship information in today’s complex global economy creates significant business risks that are often invisible to leadership.

33. Long Soft Fall in Chinese Growth: White Paper
    

    17 October, 2014 | Key Business Issues

    Presented here with thorough detail and analysis are the trends, dynamics, and factors of the slowdown; China’s productivity crisis; the necessary policy reforms; and near-, medium-, and long-term projections for the MNC operating environment.

34. Taming the Change Tiger: Transforming Chaos and Uncertainty into Opportunity
    

    16 October, 2014 | Council Perspectives

    Organizations need to change the way they change—to redefine a broader, more accountable, enterprise-wide approach that rides the chaos and achieves the best result.

35. Long Soft Fall in Chinese Growth: Business Realities, Risks, and Opportunities
    

    16 October, 2014 | Key Business Issues

    China's economy growing by leaps and bounds is a thing of the past. How should multinational corporations adjust their investment and market strategies and prepare their organizations for sustaining and driving growth in this time of unprecedented change?

36. From Not Enough Jobs to Not Enough Workers: CHIEF TALENT/ LEARNING OFFICER Implications
    

    15 October, 2014 | Key Business Issues

    Baby boomer retirements will create a shortage of skilled workers in mature economies, leading to a “war for talent.” Winners will be companies that fill skill gaps through planning and retraining.

37. DNA of Engagement: How Organizations Create and Sustain Highly Engaging Cultures
    

    15 October, 2014 | Key Business Issues

    Organizations with highly engaging cultures continually build on positive momentum in an effort to drive and sustain business performance. This report explores the commonalities among these organizations.

38. US Top Executive Compensation Report: 2014 Edition
    

    15 October, 2014 | Research Report

    This report examines salary, total cash compensation, total compensation, and the mix of compensation elements for the CEO and the five highest paid executives of 2,283 US-listed companies by specific revenue and industry groups.

39. DNA of Engagement: How Organizations Create and Sustain Highly Engaging Cultures: ELEMENTS OF ENGAGEMENT
    

    15 October, 2014 | Key Business Issues

    Assess the level of engagement at your organization and identify the strengths or challenges you may face toward becoming "highly engaged"

40. DNA of Engagement: How Organizations Create and Sustain Highly Engaging Cultures: CULTURE ASSESSMENT GUIDE
    

    15 October, 2014 | Key Business Issues

    This brief guide will focus your attention and capture feedback as you assess an organization's culture of engagement.

41. Rallying Cry for Organizational Change
    

    09 October, 2014 | Conference KeyNotes

    Companies should make change management a competency rather than an add-on. They can start by knowing the best practices for executing change and training employees in how to adapt to it.

42. BoardAsia Newsletter
    

    08 October, 2014 | Periodical

    Major news covered in this issue includes an overview of the Strategic Workforce Planning Academy Asia Program and highlights on The Conference Board Key Business Issues initiative.

43. Conference Board Economics Watch^® European View
    

    08 October, 2014 | Economics Watch Reports

    Expectations about more monetary stimulus mount in an extremely fragile European economy.

44. Human Capital Analytics @ Work, Volume I
    

    06 October, 2014 | Research Report

    Six high-profile companies describe how they use human capital analytics at their organizations and offer advice on how you can best implement it at yours.

45. Women on Boards: Beyond Quotas
    

    26 September, 2014 | Director Notes

    Many countries are realizing that quotas may fail to address the root causes of the shortage of women on boards and are examining alternative approaches to creating true gender diversity.

46. Measuring the Impact of Corporate Social Investments
    

    26 September, 2014 | Research Report

    Social change is inherently difficult to capture, but there is growing interest among corporate social investors in demonstrating actual deeper impact. This report highlights select aspects of measurement and provides guidance.

47. China Center Chart of the Week: SLF injections are preemptive, not stimulative – and perhaps a baby step toward price-based monetary policy
    

    25 September, 2014 | China Center Publications

    Last week, local news reports in China indicated that the PBoC is set to issue 500 billion RMB to the five largest commercial banks through a tool called the Standing Lending Facility (SLF). This caused a great deal of market speculation.

48. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
    

    24 September, 2014 | Economics Watch Reports

    GDP growth acceleration loses steam as the economy gets closer to full capacity.

49. China Center Data Flash: August data confirms Q3 weakness
    

    24 September, 2014 | China Center Publications

    Economic data for August released last week was just plain bad—there’s no other way to put it. Growth momentum is undoubtedly on a downward trend in Q3, and the weaknesses were across the board.

50. New Imperative: Driving Performance, Connecting to Value
    

    23 September, 2014 | Conference KeyNotes

    Companies increasingly view health care as an important investment and want a greater return: they are still keenly interested in lowering costs but are also demanding better performance and value from providers.

51. China Center Chart of the Week: No baby boom, but a baby bump
    

    17 September, 2014 | China Center Publications

    China's change to its one-child policy is unlikely to promote a baby boom because working-age people in China today fear the extra burden and cost that a second child brings – and they are already struggling with familial obligations to care for their elders.

52. International Comparisons of Annual Labor Force Statistics
    

    16 September, 2014 | Research Report

    The International Labor Comparisons (ILC) program prepares international comparisons of economic indicators across countries, pinpointing differences in labor market tightness, unemployment, and labor force participation in various population categories.

53. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Human Capital Analytics (Vol. 4, No. 2, 2014)
    

    12 September, 2014 | Human Capital in Review

    This publication is designed for busy human capital executives who value selected, thoughtfully summarized article reviews of what is happening in the area of human capital analytics.

54. China Center Quick Note: Changes to the One-Child Policy – Anticipating the Impacts
    

    11 September, 2014 | China Center Publications

    In November 2013, China’s birth control policy was amended by the Communist Party's Central Committee. However, the potential effect of the new policy remains quite uncertain, and several different interpretations exist.

55. From Not Enough Jobs to Not Enough Workers: CHRO Implications
    

    09 September, 2014 | Key Business Issues

    CHROs will play a central role in dealing with the labor shortages caused by baby boomer retirements. This CHRO Implications outlines actions they can take to offset higher wages and minimize profit loss.

56. On the Record with Charles Allen
    

    08 September, 2014 | Executive Action Report

    “Retaining people in the profession is definitely our biggest issue,” notes Charles Allen, CEO of accounting/consulting firm Crowe Horwath LLP. He tells us how his firm approaches this key human capital challenge.   

57. From Not Enough Jobs to Not Enough Workers: CFO Implications
    

    08 September, 2014 | Key Business Issues

    Baby boomer retirements will cause labor shortages in mature economies, leading to higher wages and lower profits. How can CFOs mitigate these effects? This CFO Implications outlines actions and provides tools to predict shortages.

58. From Not Enough Jobs to Not Enough Workers: What Retiring Baby Boomers and the Coming Labor Shortage Mean for Your Company
    

    02 September, 2014 | Key Business Issues

    The retirement of baby boomers will create labor shortages in mature economies worldwide. This report covers implications for companies and actions they can take.

59. From Not Enough Jobs to Not Enough Workers: STRATEGIC OVERVIEW
    

    02 September, 2014 | Key Business Issues

    Is your organization at risk of labor shortages? This Strategic Overview covers the potential implications of labor shortages and what every function can do to mitigate there effects.

60. China Center Special Briefing Paper: Re-Estimating Chinese Productivity
    

    02 September, 2014 | China Center Publications

    In this second part of our Special Briefing Paper series, Dr. Harry X. Wu, Senior Advisor to the China Center, presents the second stage of findings from his 30-year-long work program to re-estimate the quantity and quality of Chinese economic growth.

61. Designing Global Businesses for Innovation and Growth
    

    27 August, 2014 | Research Report

    Organization design can support innovation within a company. It creates the context for innovative activity and the means for delivering results to customers. But the alignment between organization design structures and innovation strategy can break down.

62. Key to Optimal Business Results: Insights from The 2014 Performance Management Conference
    

    25 August, 2014 | Conference KeyNotes

    For performance management to be more than mere compensation management, systems must be behavior focused, integrated into workflow and processes, and communicated with care to employees.

63. US Salary Increase Budgets for 2015
    

    25 August, 2014 | Research Report

    United States salary increase budget projections for 2015 reflect a 3.00 percent median increase, the same as the actual rate of increase in the previous four years dating back to 2011.

64. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
    

    24 August, 2014 | Economics Watch Reports

    The economy appears to be building momentum toward higher growth.

65. China Center Data Flash: Q2 Mini-stimulus already losing steam
    

    18 August, 2014 | China Center Publications

    July data showed a clear sequential slowdown for the domestic side of China’s economy, with industrial production, investment, and consumer purchases all slowing in the month.

66. Global Leadership Forecast (GLF) 2014 | 2015, Ready-Now Leaders: Meeting Tomorrow’s Business Challenges
    

    14 August, 2014 | Research Report

    New research from DDI and The Conference Board spotlights a critical difference between the top and bottom corporate financial performers: companies with higher percentages of women in leadership roles perform better.

67. Corporate Social Responsibility in India
    

    13 August, 2014 | Director Notes

    Given India’s global influence, there is much potential for its vision of mandatory CSR, which anticipates CSR as a central component of corporate activity, to spread to the rest of the world.

68. China Center Chart of the Week: Credit growth in H2 – onward and upward
    

    13 August, 2014 | China Center Publications

    As long as China’s current credit dynamics remain in play – and the credit intensity of growth continues to rise – fundamental reforms will necessarily have to be sidelined.

69. China CEO Council Session Report -- Facing Change: Sustaining and driving growth during uncertain times in China
    

    06 August, 2014 | China Center Publications

    A summary of discussion points, learnings, business issues, poll results, and member insights from the June 12, 2014, China CEO Council, hosted by The Conference Board in Beijing.

70. Creating Personal Emotional Connections with Employees and Customers: Insights from The 2014 Extending Your Brand to Employees Conference
    

    01 August, 2014 | Conference KeyNotes

    Defining and living your company's larger purpose so that employees engage emotionally ensures that they, as ambassadors, best represent your company brand to customers.

71. Opening the Doors of Small Business to Employees with Disabilities: Critical Concerns and Strategies for Success
    

    01 August, 2014 | Research Report

    Small business offers perhaps the greatest opportunity for employing people with disabilities in the United States.

72. Conference Board Economics Watch^® European View
    

    30 July, 2014 | Economics Watch Reports

    Slow economic growth and disinflation continue through summer, keeping pressure on the European Central Bank.

73. Proxy Voting Fact Sheet (July 2014)
    

    25 July, 2014 | Proxy Voting Fact Sheet

    An analysis of annual shareholder meetings at Russell 3000 companies shows shareholder proposals on the disclosure of corporate political contributions doubled since 2009, signaling continued concern about a lack of transparency.

74. Working with Analytics at the C-Level: Insights from The 2013 Human Capital Analytics Conference
    

    24 July, 2014 | Conference KeyNotes

    No significant change can take place without the support of top executives, including human capital analytics.

75. Growing Value of Brands and Their Contribution to Worldwide Economic Growth
    

    23 July, 2014 | Executive Action Report

    The contribution of brands is comparable to that of R&D in most advanced economies. Moreover, the wealthier a country grows, the more its companies spend on getting out their brand message.

76. China Center Data Flash: Unhealthy Q2 growth – pursuit of the target at the expense of reform
    

    23 July, 2014 | China Center Publications

    China’s official Q2 GDP growth came in at 7.5 percent y-o-y, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics. Our alternative measures suggest that China is growing closer to 5.5 percent.

77. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
    

    22 July, 2014 | Economics Watch Reports

    The growth paradox of slow GDP and strong employment.

78. BoardAsia Newsletter
    

    21 July, 2014 | Periodical

    Major news covered in this issue includes an overview of the Future China Business Leader un-Conference and the launch of The Future India Business Leader research report.

79. Identifying Your Company's Leadership DNA: Insights from The 2014 Leadership Development Conference
    

    17 July, 2014 | Conference KeyNotes

    Companies concerned about their executive pipelines should invest in leadership training, especially of high potential employees. The biggest bang from training dollars comes through action learning, stretch assignments, and coaching.

80. Managing Supply Chain Sustainability and Risk
    

    11 July, 2014 | Director Notes

    Addressing supply chain risk and sustainability in isolation may put a firm at considerable risk. Companies should pursue strategies that recognize that supply chain risk and sustainability are inextricably intertwined.

81. Conference Board Labor Markets in Review™: Vol. 4, 2014
    

    10 July, 2014 | Periodical

    Economic expansion and the massive retirement of the baby boom generation in many mature economies are tightening labor markets—but the degree of current tightness and how rapidly the labor markets are tightening varies significantly across countries.

82. Is This the End of Work? Information Technologies and Labor Market Disruption: A Cross-Atlantic Conversation
    

    09 July, 2014 | Executive Action Report

    So far, the digital revolution has produced technology but not jobs. What is the impact of technology on employment? Leaders from Canada, Europe, and the United States tackle this question.

83. Future India Business Leader
    

    02 July, 2014 | Research Report

    As India-based companies expand, Indian business leaders will need to build deep competency in managing cross-cultural global teams—something participants in the India Leadership 2.0 Project see as lacking at present.

84. What You Need to Know about Performance-Aligned Compensation: Insights from The 2014 Executive Compensation Conference
    

    02 July, 2014 | Conference KeyNotes

    In the wake of say on pay, concern about proxy advisors’ reactions to their pay packages can blind companies to the reason for those packages: to drive performance and create shareholder value.

85. Conference Board Economics Watch^® European View
    

    01 July, 2014 | Economics Watch Reports

    As the European Central Bank takes action for more support, the European economic outlook remains weak.

86. China Center Data Flash: May data – the good, the bad and the ugly
    

    24 June, 2014 | China Center Publications

    Sequential activity for industry and consumption clearly improved in April and May, but the investment environment remains weak overall.

87. Interim CEO: Reasonable Choice or Failed Selection?
    

    20 June, 2014 | Director Notes

    This report examines antecedents and consequences of interim CEO selection to provide boards the evidence needed to make informed decisions about CEO succession.

88. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
    

    20 June, 2014 | Economics Watch Reports

    The U.S. economy is gaining traction heading into the second half of the year.

89. Job Satisfaction: 2014 Edition
    

    18 June, 2014 | Research Report

    According to the current edition of The Conference Board Job Satisfaction survey, and for the eighth straight year, less than half of US workers are satisfied with their jobs.

90. How Can Companies Make the Value of Intangibles More, Well, Tangible?
    

    16 June, 2014 | Executive Action Report

    There is a critical need to develop better standards for measuring, reporting, benchmarking, and analyzing intangible investments.

91. Knowledge Spillovers, ICT and Productivity Growth
    

    13 June, 2014 | Economics Program Working Paper Series

    by Carol Corrado, Jonathan Haskel, and Cecilia Jona-Lasinio

    May 2014 - EPWP #14 – 02

    What are the channels through which intangible assets affect productivity?

92. China Center Quick Note: The Opportunity in Xi’s “Re-Reform”
    

    11 June, 2014 | China Center Publications

    Chinese President and Party Secretary Xi Jinping is indeed undertaking “reform” – it just doesn't involve marketization or more conformity with Western norms, at least not yet.

93. Global Economic Growth Scenarios 2020: The Impact of Investments and Reforms across Seven Major Regions
    

    11 June, 2014 | Research Report

    This report presents analysis of the global economy and seven major world economies—including four scenarios that depend on policy effects—so that leaders can make decisions that foster growth.

94. Nobody's Perfect: Overcoming the Limitations of External Labor Data to Drive Better Business Decisions
    

    11 June, 2014 | Research Report

    This report details how to skillfully combine data from a variety of sources to inform HR strategy and business decisions.

95. Distracted Directors and Firm Value
    

    09 June, 2014 | Director Notes

    This report examines the effect of director busyness on firm value and provides evidence that independent director busyness can be detrimental to the quality of the board monitoring role.

96. China Center Commentary: China LEI showing more sluggishness ahead
    

    09 June, 2014 | China Center Publications

    Risks to the downside are rising, with real estate at the top of the list of catalysts.

97. China Center Special Briefing Paper: Re-Estimating Chinese Growth
    

    09 June, 2014 | China Center Publications

    How fast has China’s economy really grown? The accuracy of any country’s GDP estimate is of critical importance to the business and policy community, both in-country and globally. [NOTE: updated version as of 20 June 2014]

98. Tapping Hidden Talent Pools: Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Veterans and People with Disabilities
    

    05 June, 2014 | Research Report

    This report provides in-depth explanation and interpretation of the changes in these regulations to provide businesses with the tools to employ veterans and people with disabilities in this new paradigm.

99. Conference Board Economics Watch® European View
    

    02 June, 2014 | Economics Watch Reports

    An acceleration of growth seems unlikely in Europe.

100. Proxy Voting Fact Sheet (May 2014)
     

     29 May, 2014 | Proxy Voting Fact Sheet

     Efforts to improve communication with investors following say-on-pay appear to have paid off. The volume of shareholder proposals declined significantly for meetings held during the first four months of 2014.

101. China Center Chart of the Week: Economic rebalancing is going in reverse
     

     28 May, 2014 | China Center Publications

     China’s internal rebalancing efforts, which sought to increase consumption’s proportion in economic demand, went into reverse in 2013 for the first time in four years.

102. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
     

     27 May, 2014 | Economics Watch Reports

     The US economy is bouncing back this quarter to a growth rate above its long-term potential. This result is due to the recovery from a severe winter and the release of pent up demand.

103. Building the Foundation of an Innovative Culture: Human Capital's Role in Making It Happen
     

     23 May, 2014 | Executive Action Report

     Although most organizations agree that innovation is important for sustainability and growth, few do it well. To help reverse that trend in your organization, this report presents four recommendations and examples from top companies for innovation.

104. Activism of Carl Icahn and Bill Ackman
     

     23 May, 2014 | Director Notes

     It is increasingly important for directors to understand the governance failures that attract activist investors and the tactics activists use to advance investor arguments for changes in target companies.

105. Corporate Sustainability in Brazil
     

     21 May, 2014 | Director Notes

     This report looks at Brazil through a corporate sustainability lens and offers an overview of the current state of environmental and social practices among its business organizations.

106. Productivity and Digitalisation in Europe: Paving the Road to Faster Growth
     

     21 May, 2014 | Research Report

     Productivity growth is the key to returning to a sustainable growth path in Europe, according to this policy brief, a joint publication between the Lisbon Council and The Conference Board.

107. China Center Data Flash: Tight credit is suffocating real estate
     

     20 May, 2014 | China Center Publications

     >China’s economy has become increasingly dependent on credit over the past several years, and China’s economic growth will not stabilize if credit growth continues to slow.

108. China Center Chart of the Week: Credit growth is a tightening noose on the property market
     

     20 May, 2014 | China Center Publications

     Since the beginning of 2014, new property starts have shrunk dramatically when compared to the same point last year and are down -22 percent for the year to April.

109. Leveraging the Impact of Coaching on Business-Driven Talent Management Practices: Insights from The 2014 Executive Coaching Conference
     

     14 May, 2014 | Conference KeyNotes

     Executive coaching is due for an upgrade—from a focus on metrics to a focus on interpersonal communication and the resulting employee engagement.

110. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Strategic Workforce Planning (Vol. 4, No. 1, 2014)
     

     14 May, 2014 | Human Capital in Review

     This publication explores hot topics within strategic workforce planning research and includes articles on current trends in using human capital analytics in SWP and M&A and the “datafication of HR.”

111. China Center -- What to Watch For: Trust default edition
     

     14 May, 2014 | China Center Publications

     The first four months of 2014 saw a rash of news stories detailing near-defaults in a range of Chinese financial products. Our thoughts on the issue: Get used to it.

112. Scenario Planning for Human Resources and Strategic Workforce Planning
     

     14 May, 2014 | Research Report

     Scenario planning can enhance the value of “basic” strategic workforce planning. Although it can't predict the future, scenario planning can help companies determine strategic options.

113. Deep Dive Exchange Insights: State of Attack - Preparing for and Responding to Attacks from State Media
     

     14 May, 2014 | China Center Publications

     A summary of discussion points, learnings, business issues, poll results, and implications from the third Deep Dive Exchange session hosted by The Conference Board’s China Center.

114. China Center Chart of the Week: Deflation or substantial real growth slowdown – take your pick
     

     14 May, 2014 | China Center Publications

     In Q1 2014, China’s GDP deflator fell to 0.5 percent, the lowest level since the global financial crisis. But is China really on the cusp of a deflationary spiral?

115. How Industry Leaders Get Customers to Fall in Love with Their Experience: Insights from The 2014 Customer Experience Conference
     

     09 May, 2014 | Conference KeyNotes

     The keys to wowing your customers include having happy employees, putting customers first, and providing a personalized, interactive experience.

116. From a Buyer’s Market to a Seller’s Market: Declining Unemployment and Evolving Labor Shortages in the United States
     

     01 May, 2014 | Executive Action Report

     Demographic trends and the imminent departure from the workforce of the baby boom generation point to the emergence of a “sellers’ market” when it comes to skilled talent.

117. Conference Board CEO Challenge® 2014: Latin America Edition
     

     30 April, 2014 | Research Report

     This report provides an analysis of survey results from the Latin America region, providing a unique vision that top executives share in these emerging markets.

118. Conference Board Economics Watch® European View
     

     28 April, 2014 | Economics Watch Reports

     Headwinds Are Affecting Growth Expectations for Europe

119. Unlock Talent Potential to Drive Business Success: Insights from The 2014 Talent Management Strategies Conference
     

     28 April, 2014 | Conference KeyNotes

     A company’s best defense for meeting a rapidly changing business environment is to have a strong succession plan and a pipeline of “ready-now” employees who can step into vacant positions.

120. China Center Chart of the Week: Assessing local debt risks and opportunities – regional debt and real estate dynamics
     

     28 April, 2014 | China Center Publications

     We are only now beginning to see the dominoes fall when it comes to companies defaulting on various financial products, which suggests how a financial crisis may occur in China.

121. Treat Your Employees Like Consumers: They don't all want the same things.
     

     28 April, 2014 | The Conference Board Review

     With corporate workforce increasingly global and diverse, HR departments are recognizing the ineffectiveness of dealing with every employee in exactly the same way.

122. We Are All Chief Risk Officers Now
     

     28 April, 2014 | The Conference Board Review

     Risk management used to be someone else's job—usually the head of security. But today, practically everyone's job requires managing risk in some form.

123. Who's Holding You Accountable? Christine Bader wants to fill companies with corporate idealists.
     

     28 April, 2014 | The Conference Board Review

     A Q&A with "corporate idealist" Christine Bader, who spent nine years at BP and now seeks to aid those who want to help corporations both do good and do well.

124. Performance Anxiety: Your people are insecure—what are you going to do about it?
     

     28 April, 2014 | The Conference Board Review

     Workers feel terribly insecure these days, but it's not about whether they'll be fired—it's about whether they're capable of performing their jobs adequately. Here's how managers can help fix the problem.

125. Surprise! Chinese Consumers Are Not Americans: Savio Chan takes a close look at buying behaviors in the Far East
     

     28 April, 2014 | The Conference Board Review

     In a Q&A, Savio Chan of US China Partners shares his insights on how American businesses can better connect with Chinese consumers.

126. They Can Handle the Truth: In uncertain times, how to handle your employees' insecurity.
     

     28 April, 2014 | The Conference Board Review

     Amid uncertainty and sinking morale, the most effective way to rid an organization of fear of the unknown is simple: tell people the truth.

127. A Slow Transition: Economist Bart van Ark sees global growth picking up speed—just not as fast as anyone wants.
     

     28 April, 2014 | The Conference Board Review

     In a Q&A, Bart van Ark, chief economist of The Conference Board, discusses and expands on his 2014 global economic forecast.

128. Beyond Buzz: Mining the Future of PR
     

     28 April, 2014 | The Conference Board Review

     Too much of public relations is based on gut feelings or past practice. The challenge is to use data—not on the back end of a program in counting clips or measuring outcomes but, rather, on the front end in the development of strategies.

129. Where's the Good Pizza Here? That and other, more serious, concerns your company must address when relocating people.
     

     28 April, 2014 | The Conference Board Review

     If you manage employees who are considering a domestic move, be prepared to think about the concept of domestic culture shock.

130. You Can Go Your Own Way: There are as many ways to get work done as there are workers.
     

     28 April, 2014 | The Conference Board Review

     Companies know they cannot cling forever to an industrial-age employment model. But many modernization efforts are hampered by viewing new work practices through a single lens.

131. How Do Financial Markets Respond to Corporate Sustainability Disclosure?
     

     25 April, 2014 | Director Notes

     While established evidence shows that bad corporate environmental news is punished by the market, emerging evidence shows that, in some instances, superior environmental performance may also be punished.

132. Why CEOs Need to Care about Trust in Business
     

     24 April, 2014 | Executive Action Report

     Capitalism depends on public trust for its legitimacy. If public trust in business is low, governments and regulators act. But what are the business and governance standards that establish confidence?

133. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
     

     22 April, 2014 | Economics Watch Reports

     Economic growth is poised for some solid gains. The housing and labor markets are the keys to this improvement. The current path also suggests increased business investment for the remainder of the year.

134. Conference Board CEO Challenge® 2014: ASEAN Edition
     

     22 April, 2014 | Research Report

     CEOs in ASEAN are seeking strong business leadership that is able to drive change and not afraid to boldly innovate (and even fail) in a performance-focused environment.

135. International Indexes of Consumer Prices 2013
     

     14 April, 2014 | Research Report

     Based on price indexes compiled by The Conference Board International Labor Comparisons program, average annual inflation in 2013 slowed in 13 of the 16 economies compared.

136. CEO Succession Practices: 2014 Edition
     

     08 April, 2014 | Research Report

     The rate of CEO succession in calendar year 2013 was 8.4 percent, down from 10.9 percent in 2012 and below the average succession rate of 10.8 percent for the period 2000–2013.

137. Corporate Governance Practices in US Initial Public Offerings
     

     07 April, 2014 | Director Notes

     A review of the largest US initial public offerings shows that newly public companies have a great deal of latitude in designing their governance structures, at least at the time of their IPO.

138. China Center Quick Note: RMB band-widening -- Short-term volatility, long-term vulnerability
     

     04 April, 2014 | China Center Publications

     The Chinese central bank announced a widening of the daily trading band for the US-CNY exchange rate last month. What are the ramifications of this change for economic policy?

139. China Center Quick Note: Don’t Hold Your Breath for the Emerging Market Sell Off
     

     04 April, 2014 | China Center Publications

     In recent weeks, fears of a sharp correction in emerging market financial conditions caused by the Fed’s change in its monetary policy have caused consternation among investors and policy makers.

140. BoardAsia Newsletter
     

     03 April, 2014 | Periodical

     Major news covered in this issue includes details of the launch of The Conference Board CEO Challenge Report® and an overview of the Future India Leadership Un-conference.

141. CEO Challenges in the Gulf Region
     

     01 April, 2014 | CEO Challenge®

     CEOs in the Gulf region reported a significantly different set of priorities than did CEOs globally, with strategies that reflect the particular business challenges of a resource-rich, energy-dependent region.

142. Conference Board Economics Watch® Emerging Markets View
     

     28 March, 2014 | Economics Watch Reports

     Emerging markets (EM) face a bumpy recovery road ahead, and impact on global economy in 2014 could be more significant than expected

143. Proxy Voting Fact Sheet (March 2014)
     

     28 March, 2014 | Proxy Voting Fact Sheet

     For meetings held in January and February 2014, shareholder proposal volume declined compared with same period last year, possibly a sign that investor engagement continues to be fruitful for companies.

144. Conference Board Economics Watch® European View
     

     28 March, 2014 | Economics Watch Reports

     While europe’s short-term outlook continues to improve, risks to a sustained recovery persist.

145. China Center Chart of the Week: Chinese Total Factor Productivity growth appears to have flat-lined
     

     28 March, 2014 | China Center Publications

     Chinese TFP growth has been declining continuously — from 3.1 percent during the 2007–2011 period to 0.6 percent in 2012 to zero growth in 2013.

146. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Diversity & Inclusion
     (Vol. 4, No. 1, 2014)
     

     26 March, 2014 | Human Capital in Review

     This publication explores hot topics within diversity and inclusion research. This issue includes articles on demographic diversity in the workplace and the benefits of diversity for innovation and team dynamics.

147. Connect, Converse, Create: How Companies Can Generate Value through Internal Social Collaboration
     

     26 March, 2014 | Research Report

     This report explores why internal social collaboration (ISC) is necessary in the modern workplace, and examines how organizations can increase its adoption and engineer ISC for success.

148. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
     

     25 March, 2014 | Economics Watch Reports

     We view the winter slowdown in economic activity as a temporary pause. The eventual arrival of warmer spring weather should propel the housing and labor markets forward.

149. Board’s Role in Cybersecurity
     

     24 March, 2014 | Director Notes

     To protect finances, liability, reputation, and future growth, corporate boards must ensure that their companies have appropriate processes in place to manage cyber risk in their business.

150. China Center Data Flash: Weak Jan-Feb data as expected – authorities are likely to goose growth soon
     

     24 March, 2014 | China Center Publications

     Almost every single economic indicator that has been released through the first three months of this year – exports, industry, manufacturing, consumption, real estate, credit markets, stock markets – has disappointed.

151. China Center Chart of the Week: Labor productivity growth in China continues to slow – even from its low base level
     

     24 March, 2014 | China Center Publications

     Labor productivity is a critical indicator because it is strongly related to living standard measures. The higher the relative level of labor productivity, the greater the chance for economic expansion.

152. Charting International Labor Comparisons
     

     21 March, 2014 | Research Report

     Compare national labor markets and international competitiveness through charts and accompanying insights. Charts highlight labor costs, labor productivity, and other comparable indicators for up to 38 countries, including emerging economies.

153. Strategies That Transform the Organization: Insights from The 2013 Senior Corporate Communication Management Conference
     

     14 March, 2014 | Conference KeyNotes

     Today’s corporate communications departments are the equivalent of an internal media company that helps roll out new strategies, enhance customer experience, and increase employee engagement.

154. Guidelines for Engagement
     

     11 March, 2014 | Research Report

     Direct engagement between companies and their investors is in early stages, but is likely to become a permanent, although less formal, part of governance of US public companies.

155. Conference Board Governance Center White Paper
     

     11 March, 2014 | Research Report

     Collaboration between boards of directors, management, and shareholders is fundamental to identifying the corporate governance policies and practices that will best produce economic growth while reducing financial and legal risk.

156. Recommendations of the Task Force on Corporate/Investor Engagement
     

     11 March, 2014 | Research Report

     The task force examined the facts, the issues, and the policy implications of the current state of US corporate governance and here offers their recommendations.

157. China Center Chart of the Week: China is gaining share of global manufacturing value addition
     

     11 March, 2014 | China Center Publications

     China’s global value chain (GVC) share in global manufacturing rose from 4.2 percent in 1995 to 16.7 percent in 2011, which is solid evidence of China’s manufacturing competitiveness.

      

158. How Well Do Corporate Directors Know Senior Management?
     

     10 March, 2014 | Director Notes

     Companies can improve the quality of their CEO succession and internal talent development programs by fostering regular formal and informal interaction between directors and senior management.

159. China Center Chart of the Week: ‘Buying’ 7.5 percent growth – what would it take?
     

     07 March, 2014 | China Center Publications

     Slowing credit growth is incompatible with a 7.5 percent growth target, unless efficiency is significantly improved.

160. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Employee Engagement (Vol. 3, No. 1, 2014)
     

     06 March, 2014 | Human Capital in Review

     This publication explores hot topics within employee engagement research by providing actionable summaries of contemporary literature.

161. China Center Chart of the Week: Moderating consumption growth rate evident in Chinese New Year’s data
     

     05 March, 2014 | China Center Publications

     Although the growth rate remains robust, it is the lowest nominal year-on-year expansion for Chinese New Year sales in over a decade.

162. Closing the Digital Entrepreneurship Gap in Europe: Enabling Businesses to Spur Growth
     

     04 March, 2014 | Executive Action Report

     Small innovative companies in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector play an important role in energizing economic growth, but face many barriers, especially in Europe.

163. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
     

     04 March, 2014 | Economics Watch Reports

     We view the current slowdown in economic activity as a temporary pause. The inclement winter weather is depressing economic activity, thus we expect a rebound when warmer temperatures arrive in the spring.

164. China Center Data Flash: “Prudent” monetary policy so far ineffective
     

     03 March, 2014 | China Center Publications

     Credit growth came in worryingly strong in January, despite the lowest monthly expansion of outstanding bank deposits on record.

165. China Center Chart of the Week: China’s Credit Intensity – Still Too High
     

     03 March, 2014 | China Center Publications

     With the exception of the bank-loan stimulus of 2009, the Chinese economy remained at a historically high level of credit dependency in 2013 – little changed from 2012.

166. Future ASEAN Leader: Leading Growth and Change in a Borderless World
     

     03 March, 2014 | Research Report

     This groundbreaking report presents insights, concerns, and opinions of participants in the ASEAN Leadership 2.0 Project on what it will take to lead business in the ASEAN region going forward.

167. Conference Board Economics Watch® European View
     

     28 February, 2014 | Economics Watch Reports

     The outlook for the European economy continues to improve, but headwinds persist.

168. Developing an Effective Climate Change Strategy
     

     25 February, 2014 | Director Notes

     Climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies are becoming increasingly important. This report details eight steps for developing such strategies and provides examples of companies that have done so.

169. A Tale of 2000 Cities
     

     25 February, 2014 | The Demand Institute

     A study of how the sharp contrast between successful and struggling communities is reshaping America.

170. Impact of Board Dynamics on Shareholder Value Creation
     

     14 February, 2014 | Director Notes

     Aristotle’s maxim that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts is alive and well in the boardroom. This report shows that better team dynamics among board members produces better financial performance.

171. How Teleworking Works Best: Organizational Shifts Ahead
     

     13 February, 2014 | Executive Action Report

     As more people work from remote locations and are no longer tethered to brick and mortar facilities, flexible work arrangements like telework will simply be the way work is done.

172. Catalysts for Differentiation and Growth: Insights from The 2013 Organization Design Conference
     

     11 February, 2014 | Conference KeyNotes

     Businesses are being pushed to execute more complex strategies at an ever-increasing rate, and many companies are looking to organization design to seize new opportunities in global markets.

173. Conference Board Economics Watch® European View
     

     07 February, 2014 | Economics Watch Reports

     The European recovery continues to be slow, even though optimism increases

174. Conference Board Economics Watch® Emerging Markets View
     

     07 February, 2014 | Economics Watch Reports

     Emerging markets weakened in 2013, and there will only be moderate improvement in 2014.

175. China's Growth and Productivity Performance Debate Revisited - Accounting for China’s Sources of Growth with a New Data Set
     

     05 February, 2014 | Economics Program Working Paper Series

     by Harry X. Wu January 2014 - EPWP #14 – 01

     There are several problems with official Chinese economic data that are often overlooked, including structural breaks in employment statistics and implausibly high labor productivity figures related to “nonmaterial” services.

176. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Talent Management (Vol. 4, No. 1, 2014)
     

     04 February, 2014 | Human Capital in Review

     This publication explores hot topics within talent management research and includes summaries on human capital trends, learning and development, talent acquisition, leadership development, performance management, coaching, and corporate universities.

177. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
     

     04 February, 2014 | Economics Watch Reports

     Economic growth was stronger than anticipated in the second half of 2013, and the faster pace of economic growth is expected to continue into 2014, although downside risks remain.

178. China Center Commentary: December LEI Points to a Weak Start in the Year of the Horse
     

     03 February, 2014 | China Center Publications

     For the first time in nine months, the credit component of The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for China offered the only significantly positive contribution in December.

179. China Center Chart of the Week: Household consumption growth continuing to slow – and slow faster than GDP growth
     

     30 January, 2014 | China Center Publications

     Household consumption growth in China is slower than officially reported GDP growth and decelerating faster. This trend suggests that an economic rebalancing in favor of consumption-led growth is not happening.

180. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Human Capital Analytics (Vol. 4, No. 1, 2014)
     

     28 January, 2014 | Human Capital in Review

     In order to respond to workforce changes, HR professionals must not only embrace the use of data but take the lead in embedding a workforce analytics approach in their organization.

181. Sustainability Matters 2014: How Sustainability Can Enhance Corporate Reputation
     

     22 January, 2014 | Research Report

     Brand recognition and reputation are among the most valuable intangible assets of any company. In turn, sustainability initiatives have the potential to significantly impact corporate brand and reputation.

182. Trends in Exclusive Forum Bylaws
     

     14 January, 2014 | Director Notes

     This report examines the increase in the adoption of exclusive forum bylaws, the language used to craft them, their enforceability in litigation, and issues for boards
     to consider before adoption.

183. Conference Board CEO Challenge® 2014: People and Performance
     

     08 January, 2014 | CEO Challenge®

     While CEOs see talent as the critical link in meeting their top business challenges, the 2014 CEO Challenge survey results show a heightened focus on customers and reputation and less concern about regulation and external risk.

184. Risk Oversight: Evolving Expectations for Boards
     

     06 January, 2014 | Director Notes

     Evolving expectations for oversight of management’s risk appetite and tolerance present challenges for boards. Boards should consider an objective-centric approach that links retained risks to strategic and foundation business objectives.

2013

1. Conference Board Economics Watch® European View
   

   24 December, 2013 | Economics Watch Reports

   Europe sets on a path of moderate growth for 2014. Financial stabilization will positively contribute to this outlook, although some obstacles still remain.

2. China Center Chart of the Week: China Outlook -- Why we expect slower growth in 2014
   

   24 December, 2013 | China Center Publications

   Our outlook for gradually slower growth in 2014 is a reflection of the current slowdown, which is part of an ongoing, structural transition of China’s economy.

3. China Center Data Flash: Divergence -- The Financial Economy Outpaces the Real Economy
   

   23 December, 2013 | China Center Publications

   Despite higher interest rates throughout the month of November, credit extension ramped back up and real estate activity shot up as well.

4. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
   

   20 December, 2013 | Economics Watch Reports

   Despite upward revision of GDP growth performance in Q3 and the Fed’s decision to start to taper its quantitative easing, GDP growth for 2013 will finish on a weak note.

5. Conference Board Labor Markets in Review™: Vol. 3, No. 1, 2013
   

   19 December, 2013 | Periodical

   Globally the economy has not returned to pre-recession growth levels. This report analyzes the effects of the different stages of recovery on labor market conditions, with a particular focus on the United States and Europe.

6. Developing Leaders: Voices from India
   

   16 December, 2013 | Research Report

   Leadership development is more critical than ever—and some companies have cracked the code. Learn what top companies in India are doing now to prepare tomorrow’s leaders.

7. Board Accountability in the Current Governance Landscape
   

   09 December, 2013 | Director Notes

   Institutional investors are looking more deeply into boardroom activities and are more willing to target individual directors deemed responsible for policy failures or poor performance.

8. Board Asia Newsletter
   

   08 December, 2013 | Periodical

   Major news covered in this issue includes details of the launch of The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® for India and the ASEAN Leadership 2.0 project, an ongoing dialogue on leadership issues.

9. Investments in Intellectual Property: New Footprints in Macroeconomic Data
   

   06 December, 2013 | Executive Action Report

   New macroeconomic data show U.S. investment in intellectual property products totaled $812 billion, or 5 percent of GDP, in 2012.

10. Link between Human Capital and Sustainability
    

    05 December, 2013 | Executive Action Report

    A good understanding of the link between human capital and sustainability can help company directors identify how investing in the right sustainability programs can drive significant improvements in human capital.

11. Reframing the Issue: New Ways to Think about Cyber Risk and Security
    

    03 December, 2013 | Council Perspectives

    Cyber risk is just one of many operational risks, and, from a business viewpoint, mitigation of cyber risk should focus on fundamental risk management, corporate resilience, and managing human behavior.

12. Shale Gas Boom and Other Uncertainties in U.S. Energy Markets
    

    03 December, 2013 | KnowlEdge Series Summaries

    Energy supply/demand dynamics have become more complex, markets are more volatile, and key points of energy policy are still undetermined. Companies should use scenario plans under these conditions.

13. China Center Commentary: The Muddle Kingdom -- LEI growth slows as policy inertia persists
    

    27 November, 2013 | China Center Publications

    The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for China slowed in October due to weaker real estate activity.  

14. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
    

    26 November, 2013 | Economics Watch Reports

    The U.S. economy is ending 2013 with slow growth, in line with the overall sluggish performance for the year as a whole. However, stronger employment data and manufacturing surveys point to moderately firmer growth in 2014.

15. China Center Chart of the Week: Between a rock and a hard place -- the Chinese real estate conundrum
    

    26 November, 2013 | China Center Publications

    Reducing the Chinese economy's reliance on real estate investment and putting more emphasis on productive capital formation would help unlock latent sources of growth, but the adjustment would be painful.

16. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Health Care (Vol. 1, No. 1, 2013)
    

    22 November, 2013 | Human Capital in Review

    How will the new health care laws affect individual companies? The sea change underway presents implementation and retention challenges for businesses within and outside the health care sector.

17. China Center Chart of the Week: Continual PBoC injections forestall banking system pain
    

    20 November, 2013 | China Center Publications

    The dynamic now in play suggests that both investment and credit creation are outpacing genuine deposit growth and loan repayment is insufficient to replenish banks' cash reserves.

18. Avoiding the Digital Desert
    

    19 November, 2013 | Executive Action Report

    Globally, technology developments are taking place at an unprecedented and ever-increasing pace, but, in many respects, European policies and attitudes seem frozen in time.

19. Fairness Opinions in the Sale of a Company: Context Is Key
    

    18 November, 2013 | Director Notes

    This report discusses aspects of a chancery court decision addressing fairness opinion matters and offers guidance regarding such opinions to directors seeking to meet their fiduciary duties during a sales process.

20. China Center Data Flash: Flat growth in October as stronger exports offset slowdown in investment and credit
    

    18 November, 2013 | China Center Publications

    October's economic data offered a mixed bag – investment and credit slowed, but exports and industrial production improved.

21. Changing Chinese Supply Chain
    

    15 November, 2013 | Executive Action Report

    This report presents detailed information about managing supply chains in China and the characteristics of a successful risk management program.

22. 2013 Succession Management Conference KeyNotes Report
    

    15 November, 2013 | Conference KeyNotes

    Succession management should be integrated into every phase of strategic planning, not isolated as an HR activity. If not, the organization may not take it seriously.

23. Brands as Productive Assets: Concepts, Measurement, and Global Trends
    

    15 November, 2013 | Economics Program Working Paper Series

    by Carol A. Corrado and Janet X. Hao

    This paper finds that conventional measures misrepresent brand spending trends in the United States because those metrics do not take into account increased spending on social media and strategic marketing.

24. China CEO Council Insights: The Gateless Gate -- The Future for Foreign Investors in China
    

    14 November, 2013 | China Center Publications

    A summary of discussion points, learnings, business issues, and member insights from the November 14, 2013, China CEO Council, convened by the Conference Board's China Center

25. StraightTalk® Special Issue for All Members: Global Economic Outlook 2014
    

    12 November, 2013 | StraightTalk®

    From The Conference Board Chief Economist Bart van Ark comes in-depth analysis of the global economy and resulting projections for 2014, 2014-2019, and 2019-2025.

26. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Diversity and Inclusion (Vol. 3, No. 3, 2013)
    

    11 November, 2013 | Human Capital in Review

    There continues to be a strong interest in both the organizational barriers that hinder women’s leadership development and strategies to effectively reduce the impact of those barriers.

27. Social Media for Human Resources Conference KeyNotes Report
    

    06 November, 2013 | Conference KeyNotes

    As companies look to increase productivity of human capital, HR’s responsibility for innovation, talent development, and engagement has risen. Firms are using social media to excel in these areas.

28. Separation of Ownership from Ownership: Concerns Arising from Institutional Investors as Intermediaries
    

    05 November, 2013 | Director Notes

    This report discusses the “separation of ownership from ownership” arising from the growth of institutional investors and the resulting concerns about the role of financial intermediaries in the corporate governance process.

29. Conference Board CEO Challenge® 2013: Human Capital Practitioners Respond
    

    29 October, 2013 | Executive Action Report

    According to an annual survey of chief executives, CEOs consider human capital their top challenge. How do their strategies to address this issue compare to those of human capital practitioners?

30. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Strategic Workforce Planning (Vol. 3, No. 2, 2013)
    

    29 October, 2013 | Human Capital in Review

    This publication explores hot topics within strategic workforce planning research. This issue includes articles on: the reduction of offshoring, incorporating a contingent workforce into the strategic plan, and organization acceleration.

31. China Center Data Flash: No surprises in Q3 data – not a “rebound”
    

    29 October, 2013 | China Center Publications

    China recently released its official third quarter GDP data, which registered 7.8 percent real growth year over year. As expected, increased investment made up for weakness in exports.

32. Link Between Brand Value and Sustainability
    

    28 October, 2013 | Director Notes

    Across a range of industries, regions, and enterprise values, there is a correlation between a company’s sustainability performance and the strength of its brand for consumers.

33. Conference Board Economics Watch® European View
    

    28 October, 2013 | Economics Watch Reports

    The Euro Area outlook continues to improve, as a sluggish recovery seems underway. Even though Euro Area GDP improved in the second quarter, other important indicators still remain very weak.

34. How Much Does Your Company Really Invest in Innovation?
    

    25 October, 2013 | Executive Action Report

    Innovation is more than R&D. It includes the full range of activities needed to implement or commercialize new ideas. But how are those activities measured for bottom-line impact?

35. Brave New World: Recruiting Talent in the Digital Age
    

    18 October, 2013 | Research Report

    To be effective, online talent acquisition needs to be aligned with and integrated into your company's overall brand and social marketing objectives and practices.

36. Where Did Productivity Go? Can Incentives to Grow the Workforce Be Found?
    

    16 October, 2013 | Global Debt and Growth Series

    From 1990-2012, Japan’s gross debt/GDP increased from 68 percent to 237 percent. Today, productivity is low and falling, the workforce is shrinking, and deflation and debt-deflation risks loom large.

37. Why Your Customers Don't Want to Talk to You
    

    16 October, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

    Many customers prefer doing business online, so why do companies insist on making them pick up the phone to complete their transaction or answer their question?

38. Stop Texting Under the Table! A Q&A with etiquette expert Barbara Pachter
    

    16 October, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

    In a Q&A, etiquette expert Barbara Pachter explains where the rules in and out of the workplace have changed—in particular, with electronic devices—and where classic advice remains valid.

39. Who's in Charge Here? Bossless organizations can teach you how to be a better boss.
    

    16 October, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

    Bossless companies, with minimal internal management structure, have a great deal to teach managers in conventional organizations.

40. Are Indian and Chinese Leaders Up to the Job?
    

    16 October, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

    Economic growth in China and India depends on the quality of companies' senior leaders. DDI's Rich Wellins argues that those leaders have too high an opinion of their own abilities.

41. Cost of Losing the American Dream: A view from China
    

    16 October, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

    After revelations about corporate and government encroachment on Americans' privacy, freedom-starved Chinese cast a less favorable eye on the United States.

42. There's Still a Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid: Paul Polak explains why your survival may depend on whether you pick it up
    

    16 October, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

    Paul Polak has spent the last three decades working to ameliorate poverty, and he's convinced that what works is not charity or government efforts but market-based development.

43. Why We Eat Sandwiches on Our Lunch Break: The evolution of the American worker's midday meal
    

    16 October, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

    We didn't always eat a meal at noon, and we certainly didn't always eat sandwiches—both lunch and lunchtime food were invented in the wake of the Industrial Revolution.

44. When Innovation Isn't: By pursuing breakthroughs less indiscriminately, we may just get more of them.
    

    16 October, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

    The first step to bridging the innovation gap is to cease labeling every new initiative as "innovation."

45. Making the Switch: Are skills really transferable between jobs within an organization?
    

    16 October, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

    A successful job-rotation program needs to be constructed so the assignment is a stretch and brings value, but not so much of a stretch that you lose a good employee.

46. Marketing Without Marketing: Consumers are harder than ever to reach, but don't make it obvious that you're trying harder than ever to reach them.
    

    16 October, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

    Brand journalism is one way smart marketers rise above the clutter of internet advertising. As a marketer, the key is to figure out where people's interests and your competencies overlap.

47. Sourcing at Home: Is the United States a Viable Component of a Global Services Portfolio?
    

    15 October, 2013 | Council Perspectives

    The United States makes a good “and/also” sourcing destination and component of a delivery services framework, but policy roadblocks still preclude it from being a viable alternative to offshoring.

48. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
    

    15 October, 2013 | Economics Watch Reports

    Even with the government poised to re-open fully, the short-term shutdown likely shaved 0.45 percentage points from Q4 GDP growth, leaving it at a sluggish 1.7 percent annualized rate.

49. Proxy Voting Analytics (2009–2013)
    

    11 October, 2013 | Research Report

    Proposals submitted by shareholders increased for the second year in a row, while management was less successful at excluding investor demands from the voting ballot.

50. How Teleworking Works Best: A Practical Guide for Managing Teleworkers
    

    11 October, 2013 | Executive Action Report

    Successful managers of teleworkers are those who have learned to manage the work and not the workers, quantify deliverables and not hours at a desk, and communicate regularly and mindfully with all workers.

51. Sharing Safety and Regulatory Information along the Value Chain
    

    11 October, 2013 | Council Perspectives

    The challenge facing many companies is that while on the surface their supply chain may appear clear, the opposite is often true when it comes to safety and regulatory information.

52. Local Content Requirements and Strategic Workforce Planning
    

    10 October, 2013 | Executive Action Report

    Meeting local content requirements abroad is key to a sustainable multinational business model, and HR professionals should be part of their organization’s localization efforts. Strategic workforce planning can help.

53. Deep Dive Exchange Insights: Wage Escalation in China -- What Assumptions Make Sense for the Future?
    

    10 October, 2013 | China Center Publications

    A summary of discussion points, learnings, business issues, and implications from the China Center's October 2013 Deep Dive Exchange session on wage escalation in China.

54. How Teleworking Works Best: The Business Case
    

    09 October, 2013 | Executive Action Report

    Key to gaining corporate advantage from telework is understanding which jobs can be done remotely from the primary corporate locations and what skills and practices are required to support them.

55. Global Trends in Board-Shareholder Engagement
    

    07 October, 2013 | Director Notes

    Notwithstanding the potential benefits of engaging shareholders, board directors hesitate to do it—sometimes, rightly so. Real-world examples serve as guidance for those trying to develop an effective engagement program.

56. Vets Returning to the Workforce
    

    04 October, 2013 | Executive Action Report

    Employers have a talent shortage, particularly in technical fields. Returning veterans are an often overlooked talent pool that offers a gold mine of applied and technical skills in these areas.

57. Corporate Sustainability Disclosure in China
    

    04 October, 2013 | Executive Action Report

    Environmental and labor regulations abound in China, but supervision and enforcement are seriously lacking. Chinese businesses acutely need more transparency, better disclosure, and better performance in sustainability.

58. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Employee Engagement (Vol. 2, No. 3, 2013)
    

    02 October, 2013 | Human Capital in Review

    This publication explores hot topics within employee engagement research. This issue includes articles on the effect of recessions on productivity and strategies for gaining stakeholder buy-in.

59. Conference Board Economics Watch^® - European View
    

    26 September, 2013 | Economics Watch Reports

    The economic outlook for Euro Area economies continues to improve, though growth for the region as a whole should be slow for the rest of 2013.

60. Strategic Talent Management: Where We Need to Go
    

    25 September, 2013 | Research Report

    Systems thinking, a talent for data analysis, and change management skills are two of the critical competencies that talent management leaders need to contribute to and enhance business outcomes.

61. 2013 Employee Health Care Conference KeyNotes Report
    

    25 September, 2013 | Conference KeyNotes

    Upcoming health care reform and rising health care costs are forcing companies to change how they approach the health care benefits and increase their focus on wellness.

62. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Talent Management (Vol. 3, No. 3, 2013)
    

    24 September, 2013 | Human Capital in Review

    This publication explores hot topics within talent management research. This issue includes articles on: engaging with marketing in recruitment, effects of company reputation, and accelerating leadership development.

63. Social Issues in the 2013 Proxy Season
    

    23 September, 2013 | Director Notes

    More than half of the shareholder proposals on social issues submitted at Russell 3000 companies that held meetings during the first half of 2013 went to a vote.

64. Darkening Debt Picture Casts a Shadow over Germany's Stellar Growth Performance
    

    23 September, 2013 | Global Debt and Growth Series

    The German government’s current fiscal consolidation path seems appropriate, even though rising health costs will place upward pressure on expenditures while a shrinking labor force will diminish Germany’s tax base.

65. Options for a Sustainable Long-Term Growth Path in Spain
    

    20 September, 2013 | Global Debt and Growth Series

    Spain’s accumulation of debt since 2008 is the product of a severe recession and having to bail out private banks, not precrisis fiscal mismanagement.

66. Addressing National Talent Shortages: What Countries Are Doing, What Companies Can Learn
    

    17 September, 2013 | Research Report

    Companies can learn a lot about effective strategic workforce planning by looking at the steps India, Canada, and Singapore are taking to shore up their future talent supply needs.

67. Giving in Numbers: 2013 Edition
    

    17 September, 2013 | Research Report

    Fifty-nine percent of companies recommitted to their communities by giving more to charity in 2012 than they did before the recession took hold in late 2007.

68. China Center Data Flash: Q3 “rebound” will fizzle in Q4
    

    17 September, 2013 | China Center Publications

    China’s official economic data continued to improve in August from July, as expected,
    but this momentum is not projected to last into Q4 2013.

69. China Center Chart of the Week: Falling home production is an opportunity for services sector development (part 1 of 2)
    

    11 September, 2013 | China Center Publications

    Chinese households are spending fewer hours per week onchildcare and other kinds of housework including grocery shopping, cooking, and doing laundry, which is releasing demand for services.

70. China Center Chart of the Week: Home production trends highlight opportunity to boost household consumption of services (part 2 of 2)
    

    11 September, 2013 | China Center Publications

    Except for house cleaning, Chinese households spend more time than their American counterparts on household production, and the viability of service sector market substitutions for this work has increased. 

71. China Center Quick Note: Protecting the “home team” -- the flagging and flogging of the foreign-invested dairy sector
    

    11 September, 2013 | China Center Publications

    Multinational consumer brands appear to be under attack from regulators and state-sponsored media in China—if not overtly, then at least with aggressive, “nonnational treatment.” >

72. Driving Real Value with CSR
    

    10 September, 2013 | Director Notes

    Spending on corporate social responsibility (CSR) doesn’t automatically create economic value. Executives who understand when and how to deploy responsible practices, however, can use CSR to improve their bottom line.

73. What Is Human Rights Risk? Should My Company Be Concerned about It?
    

    10 September, 2013 | Executive Action Report

    Explore what human rights risk is, why companies should care, and how they can incorporate human rights due diligence into their business processes.

74. Women's Leadership Conference KeyNotes Report
    

    06 September, 2013 | Conference KeyNotes

    Corporations and society continue to struggle with the issue of women’s leadership, as the recent scrutiny of women’s work/life choices demonstrates. How can women and companies best address this concern?

75. Scenario Planning: Opportunities for Mid-Market Firms
    

    03 September, 2013 | Executive Action Report

    Forecasting works well in the short term, but it assumes today’s trends will be tomorrow’s. In the medium term, scenario planning helps companies prepare for the uncertainties of the future.

76. DNA of Leaders: Leadership Development Secrets
    

    30 August, 2013 | Research Report

    We define the common characteristics of successful leadership development and 23 values that are part of the DNA of leadership development at the “best companies for leadership.”

77. Conference Board Economics Watch^® - European View
    

    29 August, 2013 | Economics Watch Reports

    The Euro Area economy has started to recover, though growth will probably remain slow for the rest of 2013, with improved business and consumer confidence offset by slowing growth in emerging markets, high unemployment, and potential financial risks.

78. Talent Acquisition through Social Media: Managing Risks to Maximize Rewards
    

    28 August, 2013 | Executive Action Report

    To receive the maximum value from social media investments, companies must understand each channel and its unique benefits and features and be able to manage the related risks.

79. U.S. Top Executive Compensation Report: 2013 Edition
    

    28 August, 2013 | Research Report

    As in 2011, the food and tobacco industry in 2012 had the highest median CEO total compensation ($7.64 million) and second-highest total cash compensation among the 22 industries we examined.

80. Disclosure Lessons from the 2013 Proxy Season
    

    27 August, 2013 | Director Notes

    Based on a sampling of proxy statements from the first half of 2013, it appears that an increasing number of companies are providing shareholders with additional or enhanced disclosures.

81. China Center Chart of the Week: The coming end of the WMP boom
    

    27 August, 2013 | China Center Publications

    Unregulated wealth management products (WMPs) have caused consternation among China finance watchers. Limited signals of a downward trend in new issuance may be cause for optimism, but risks remain.

82. China Center Quick Note: Corporate Sustainability Disclosure in China -- Evidence from constituents of the CSI 300 index
    

    26 August, 2013 | China Center Publications

    How well do Chinese companies currently do at disclosing their sustainability practices to the public, and which metrics do they use?

83. China Center Commentary: Real estate and infrastructure investment -- risky wildcards for growth
    

    26 August, 2013 | China Center Publications

    Interpretive Comments on The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® for China, August 2013 (July data)

84. Board Asia Newsletter
    

    23 August, 2013 | Periodical

    Quarter Two-Three 2013

85. Pillars of Employee Resource Group Success
    

    23 August, 2013 | Council Perspectives

    In theory, employee resource groups (ERGs) encourage diversity to ensure that a range of perspectives are used to achieve a company’s goals. But what are the true benefits of ERGs?

86. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
    

    21 August, 2013 | Economics Watch Reports

    The U.S. economy is poised to accelerate to a moderately faster 2.5 percent annualized pace in the second half of the year, after strong fiscal headwinds held back growth in the first half of the year to a tepid 1.4 percent.

87. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Diversity & Inclusion (Vol. 3, No. 2, 2013)
    

    20 August, 2013 | Human Capital in Review

    This publication explores hot topics within diversity and inclusion research. This issue includes articles on: gender stereotypes and interviewing, the "third billion," and attracting mothers returning to the workforce.

88. Tracking Business Cycles in Brazil with Composite Indexes of Coincident and Leading Economic Indicators
    

    20 August, 2013 | Economics Program Working Paper Series

    by Aloisio Campelo Jr., Jing Sima-Friedman, Sarah Lima, Ataman Ozyildirim, Paulo Picchetti

    August 2013 - EPWP #13 – 06

89. When Do Shareholders Care About CEO Pay?
    

    19 August, 2013 | Director Notes

    Using simulated say-on-pay votes, this Director Notes investigates how different levels of CEO pay and company performance can interact to influence how shareholders vote.

90. China Center Chart of the Week: China’s credit-to-GDP gap in the “danger zone”
    

    19 August, 2013 | China Center Publications

    International experience shows that once the credit-to-GDP gap crosses a certain threshold, the likelihood of a financial crisis occurring within three years rises dramatically.

91. China Center Data Flash: No bottom to the slowdown, despite stabilization
    

    15 August, 2013 | China Center Publications

    Data Flash is a brief interpretive summary of China’s official monthly economic data release – August 2013

92. China Center Chart of the Week: Is RMB depreciation in the PBoC’s cards?
    

    14 August, 2013 | China Center Publications

    US politicians have been complaining for years about China's undervalued currency, but is that accusation still relevant? The numbers suggest China's central bank has been forced to prop up its currency over the past year, rather than hold it down.

93. 2013 Extending Your Brand to Employees Conference KeyNotes Report
    

    13 August, 2013 | Conference KeyNotes

    Your brand is only as strong as your employees, so build an emotional connection to the brand that allows them to live your purpose and exhibit brand-specific behavior.

94. China Center Chart of the Week: Capital outflows will be a headache for the central bank
    

    09 August, 2013 | China Center Publications

    The unwinding of falsified trade invoicing has had a clear impact since May, as has the prospect of the Federal Reserve tapering its quantitative easing program. But the biggest driver of financial outflows seems to be the slowdown in Chinese growth.

95. Introducing the Global Debt and Growth Series
    

    07 August, 2013 | Global Debt and Growth Series

    This time (truly) is different: the current crisis, which has its roots in the asset bubble/housing crisis in the United States, has pervaded virtually every corner of the global economy.

96. United States: A Need to Bridge the Political Divide
    

    07 August, 2013 | Global Debt and Growth Series

    A political consensus must be formed to address the medium- to long-term fiscal challenges.

97. Generating Value for Investors and Society
    

    06 August, 2013 | Director Notes

    Corporate social responsibility (CSR) needs to cohere with primary business operations. During the process of strategic development, CSR can be built into the business model so its impact is beneficial.

98. Interpretive Comments on The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® for China -- July 2013 (June 2013 data)
    

    05 August, 2013 | China Center Publications

    As growth trends downward, immediate risks ease somewhat

99. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
    

    02 August, 2013 | Economics Watch Reports

    Despite weak GDP growth recorded over the past three quarters, including the sluggish 1.7% advance in Q2, we expect economic growth to accelerate in the second half of 2013 as the fiscal headwinds diminish.

100. Conference Board Economics Watch^® - European View
     

     30 July, 2013 | Economics Watch Reports

     The Euro Area’s economic contraction could end in the near term thanks to improving financial stability and confidence, but slowing global growth and a weak investment environment remain headwinds.

101. China Center Chart of the Week: Labor productivity performance enabled by reform – a key to China’s competitiveness gains
     

     30 July, 2013 | China Center Publications

     This chart demonstrates that China has done a good job catching up, and even surpassing, some emerging market peers on labor productivity. However, state-dominated sectors are dragging down productivity levels for the overall economy.

102. Sustainability from the Inside Out
     

     29 July, 2013 | KnowlEdge Series Summaries

     Leaders in the field share insights for focusing sustainability efforts with key performance indicators, building the function within an organization, and expressing the value of sustainability in business terms.

103. Proxy Voting Fact Sheet (July 2013)
     

     26 July, 2013 | Proxy Voting Fact Sheet

     Both the volume of shareholder proposals submitted and the rate of withdrawals increased among Russell 3000 and S&P 500 companies that held meetings during the first half of 2013.

104. Conference Board CEO Challenge® 2013: India Edition
     

     25 July, 2013 | CEO Challenge®

     CEOs in India rank Human Capital, Global Political/Economic Risk, Innovation, Operational Excellence, and Government Regulation as their top challenges. Their strategies to meet these challenges reflect the uniqueness of the Indian economic environment.

105. China Center Data Flash: Ongoing slowdown with a nod to financial reform
     

     23 July, 2013 | China Center Publications

     Data Flash is a brief interpretive summary of China’s official monthly economic data release – June 2013

106. Underpinnings of Corporate Governance Approaches and the Shareholder Value Model
     

     23 July, 2013 | Director Notes

     Although it has a rich history, the shareholder model of corporate governance may need to be adapted to address current criticisms.

107. Can Four Generations Focus in One Place?
     

     19 July, 2013 | KnowlEdge Series Summaries

     This overview is adapted from The Conference Board KnowlEdge Series® presentation, "How We Work: Developing the Right Environment to Enable Our Workforce," with concentrations on the multigenerational workplace and office design.

108. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Employee Engagement (Vol. 2, No. 2, 2013)
     

     19 July, 2013 | Human Capital in Review

     This publication explores hot topics within employee engagement research. This issue includes articles on: organizational citizenship behavior, remote employees, and the misuse of complaints.

109. China Center Chart of the Week: Household consumption in China highly concentrated in most advanced cities
     

     18 July, 2013 | China Center Publications

     This Pareto chart shows Monthly Sales of Retail Goods for 242 tier 1 to tier 3 cities (officially called “prefectures and above” cities) for December 2012 in China.

110. Conference Board CEO Challenge® 2013: ASEAN Edition
     

     16 July, 2013 | CEO Challenge®

     An analysis of the 183 responses from CEOs in the ASEAN region, including results from this year’s special question on the upcoming economic community integration.

111. 2013 Summit on Sustainability Conference KeyNotes Report
     

     16 July, 2013 | Conference KeyNotes

     Many firms no longer see a contradiction between doing good and making a profit, and are incorporating sustainability into their operations and business models.

112. Letting Go: When and how to drop a business that isn't working anymore
     

     15 July, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

     When and how to drop a business that isn't working anymore.

113. Good Leaders, Bad Leaders: A Q&A with Bob Lutz
     

     15 July, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

     Longtime top auto executive Bob Lutz speaks about the effectiveness and personalities of a dozen CEOs and other leaders.

114. Where Will the Jobs Go?
     

     15 July, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

     Technology may soon make obsolete factory workers, professors, nurses, and Teamsters.

115. Why Bother Doing Strategy?
     

     15 July, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

     Despite its flaws, strategy planning is the only way to figure out what to pay attention to—and how to get better.

116. Where Implementation Breaks Down
     

     15 July, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

     In companies' focus on innovation, many are focusing too little attention on execution.

117. Of Ill Repute: A Q&A with Jonathan Macey
     

     15 July, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

     Yale law professor Jon Macey laments that no one on Wall Street seems to care about reputation anymore.

118. Warning Signs
     

     15 July, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

     Just because people have a bad feeling about the company doesn’t mean they’ll be ready when disaster strikes.

119. Performance Mismanagement
     

     15 July, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

     To get results, organizations should consider not measuring people by them.

120. Theory to Practice: Dangerous Digits
     

     15 July, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

     Columnist Michael Raynor argues against a relentless focus on making the numbers.

121. Workspace: "She's a girl, but she has brains"
     

     15 July, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

     Columnist Alison Maitland argues that diversity is only as effective as the way we talk about it.

122. HR: You're Doing It Wrong: Is Your HR Leader a Glorified Administrative Assistant?
     

     15 July, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

     Columnist Laurie Ruettimann argues that in too many companies, HR is a compliance-driven function that attracts candidates who are too qualified to work as administrative assistants but not qualified enough to go to law school.

123. Beyond Buzz: Thinking About Feelings
     

     15 July, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

     Columnist Dick Martin argues that corporate scandals have less to do with the stuff of logical argument than with the mysteries of intuition and emotion.

124. Conference Board CEO Challenge® 2013: Countering the Global Slowdown
     

     09 July, 2013 | CEO Challenge®

     Unlike last year, CEOs are looking inward for solutions to slow economic growth and focusing on people and processes—and less concerned about external factors such as risk and regulation.

125. China Center Chart of the Week: Wage escalation is high and disparity of wage levels across industries pronounced
     

     09 July, 2013 | China Center Publications

     Wage data are notoriously spotty in China. Using our own estimation of “Total Labor Compensation per Employee”, we are able to illuminate the trajectory and magnitude of wage escalation in China’s industrial/manufacturing sector.

126. Sustainability Practices: 2013 Edition
     

     09 July, 2013 | Research Report

     In 2012, in terms of relative environmental footprint, the sector with the smallest footprint was the financials sector; the sectors with the largest environmental footprints were materials, utilities, and energy.

127. China Center Quick Note: What have we learned? Longer-term implications of China’s recent liquidity crunch
     

     09 July, 2013 | China Center Publications

     This Quick Note looks at June's events in the interbank bond market that led to a spike in interest rates and outlines the implications for the banking system and the real economy moving forward.

128. 2013 Leadership Development Conference KeyNotes Report
     

     03 July, 2013 | Conference KeyNotes

     As the nature of corporate competition changes, it is more important than ever to develop leaders who are capable of innovation.

129. Corporate Culture and ERM
     

     28 June, 2013 | Director Notes

     Boards considering ERM should examine the growing data suggesting a correlation between mature risk management practices and value creation and the increasing scrutiny of risk management practices by courts.

130. Conference Board Economics Watch^® - European View
     

     28 June, 2013 | Economics Watch Reports

     The Euro Area economy remains in contraction, but financial stability, as well as rising business and consumer confidence could accommodate a cautious recovery, especially if borrowing conditions for businesses improve.

131. Get Connected: How Social Collaboration Can Help Companies Navigate a Complex Business Landscape
     

     26 June, 2013 | Executive Action Report

     To remain competitive, companies should embrace social collaboration— employees and business partners contributing and connecting via an enterprise-wide virtual environment.

132. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
     

     25 June, 2013 | Economics Watch Reports

     After several years of restructuring, the U.S. private sector shows continued signs of strengthening. We believe the Fed’s forecasts look overly optimistic, and thus, expect the sequester spending cuts to slow the economy for the remainder of 2013.

133. U.S. Salary Increase Budgets for 2014
     

     21 June, 2013 | Research Report

     U.S. salary increase budgets for 2013 will have a median increase of 3 percent, just like last year. Projections for 2014 are also 3 percent.

134. Performance Management 3.0
     

     21 June, 2013 | Research Report

     Many organizations are dissatisfied with traditional performance reviews. The ideal performance management (PM) approach—PM 3.0—recognizes the need for more integration of the process into the overall business strategy.

135. Modeling Trends, Cyclical Movements and Turning Points of the Chinese Economy
     

     20 June, 2013 | Economics Program Working Paper Series

     by Ataman Ozyildirim and Harry Wu

     June 2013 - EPWP #13 – 02

136. Job Satisfaction: 2013 Edition
     

     20 June, 2013 | Research Report

     Although most U.S. workers are still dissatisfied with their jobs overall, they are happier with some elements of the job than they were before the recession.

137. Better Together: Advancing Diversity & Inclusion through Analytics and Strategic Workforce Planning
     

     20 June, 2013 | Executive Action Report

     Combining human capital analytics and strategic workforce planning best practices can inform and improve diversity and inclusion initiatives.

138. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Talent Management (Vol. 3, No. 2, 2013)
     

     19 June, 2013 | Human Capital in Review

     This publication explores hot topics within talent management research. This issue includes articles on: the global challenge of human capital, internal versus external talent, and teams of star performers.

139. China Center Chart of the Week: Recent interbank jitters further underline liquidity risks
     

     17 June, 2013 | China Center Publications

     This chart shows the overnight interbank bond repo rate in China and the 7-day repo rate, respectively. In the week of June 3rd–7th, both rates shot up, signaling a sudden tightness in liquidity within the banking system.

140. China CEO Council Insights: Reality Check -- MNC Prospects for the Next Wave of Reform
     

     13 June, 2013 | China Center Publications

     A summary of discussion points, learnings, business issues, and member insights from the June 13, 2013, China CEO Council, convened by the Conference Board's China Center

141. Sustainability Business Case: A Model for Incorporating Financial Value Drivers
     

     12 June, 2013 | Director Notes

     Many past sustainability business case analyses have not effectively incorporated key financial value drivers into the discussion. Companies should consider a framework to link environmental actions to financial value drivers.

142. Forecasting Chinese Households’ Demand from Home Production
     

     12 June, 2013 | Economics Program Working Paper Series

     by Yabin Wang
     June 2013 - EPWP #13 – 01

143. New Career Models That Can Support Your Diversity and Inclusion Program
     

     10 June, 2013 | Council Perspectives

     Cultivating new career models and fostering gender-balanced leadership require the will to move beyond the status quo. Making high-profile “risky” appointments of women is important, and women need to be encouraged to apply.

144. China Center Chart of the Week: Reporting on corporate environmental and social performance – still a long way to go
     

     07 June, 2013 | China Center Publications

     This chart shows disclosure rates regarding key sustainability practices for constituent companies of the SSE 50, and compares it with the S&P Global 1200. The SSE 50 index comprises 50 Chinese A-share stocks listed on the Shanghai stock exchange.

145. Strategic Leadership Development: Global Trends and Approaches
     

     07 June, 2013 | Research Report

     The view of current global practices in leadership development and in-depth analysis of different regional leadership development approaches this report provides can help organizations improve their leadership development initiatives.

146. Interpretive Comments on The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® for China -- May 2013 (April 2013 data)
     

     06 June, 2013 | China Center Publications

     As growth trends down, prospects for reform trend slightly up

147. China Center Chart of the Week: Rise in interbank lending highlights China’s liquidity risks
     

     06 June, 2013 | China Center Publications

     This chart shows the Chinese banking system’s monthly new claims on the corporate and household sectors (i.e. loans into the real economy) as well as new claims on depository corporations and financial institutions (i.e. interbank lending).

148. Fast Track: Accelerating the Leadership Development of High Potentials in Asia
     

     05 June, 2013 | Research Report

     A combination of demographics, education, and hyperinvestment means companies across Asia struggle to fill their management ranks. The report explores leadership characteristics, development approaches, and elements for overcoming the struggle.

149. Understanding Business Cycles: The Indicators Approach to Forecasting for Agility
     

     05 June, 2013 | Research Report

     Anticipating economic changes can enable companies to respond with agility in a dynamic business environment. This collection offers insight into how the indicator approach demystifies shifts in the business cycle.

150. CEO-Board Chair Separation: If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It
     

     03 June, 2013 | Director Notes

     Companies have not considered company performance when choosing to separate their leadership roles, which, given the dire consequences possible, is probably a strategic mistake.

151. Conference Board Economics Watch^® - European View
     

     03 June, 2013 | Economics Watch Reports

     This report includes: The Conference Board's May forecast for the Euro Area economy, a description of how debt-to-GDP ratios for Spain and Germany will evolve over the long term, and the policy implications of these debt projections.

152. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
     

     31 May, 2013 | Economics Watch Reports

     We continue to forecast that the headwinds from the spending sequester cuts will slow economic activity. This issue also includes an update of our framework that offers a way for the U.S. to address its long-term fiscal issues.

153. Managing Contractors and Ensuring Safety in Emerging Markets
     

     30 May, 2013 | Council Perspectives

     Although emerging markets beckon with new business opportunities, they also present major health and safety challenges that foreign investors need to clearly understand.

154. Proxy Voting Fact Sheet (May 2013)
     

     29 May, 2013 | Proxy Voting Fact Sheet

     Management was successful in omitting nearly one-quarter of shareholder proposals submitted at companies that held meetings during the January—April period. Nearly two-thirds of filed proposals went to a vote.

155. China Center Chart of the Week: China’s capital reserves appear strong but may soon prove inadequate
     

     29 May, 2013 | China Center Publications

     This chart shows capital adequacy ratios (CARs) reported by Chinese banks as of the end of Q1 2013. These ratios represent the amount of capital a bank holds as a proportion of its risk-weighted assets.

156. China Center Data Flash: Continued deceleration into Q2
     

     24 May, 2013 | China Center Publications

     Data Flash is a brief interpretive summary of China’s official monthly economic data release – May 2013

157. Helping Millennials Help You: Managing Your Young Workforce
     

     23 May, 2013 | Executive Action Report

     By 2020, baby boomers and generation X will be far outnumbered by their millennial counterparts in the workplace, who will soon be in the same seats their managers now occupy. What are companies doing today to prepare these future leaders?

158. Best Practices for Developing Change Leadership in Turbulent Times
     

     22 May, 2013 | Executive Action Report

     Leaders in charge of businesses affected by Hurricane Katrina share how they led through the crisis and how these methods can be translated to planned initiatives for change in organizations.

159. 2013 Executive Coaching Conference KeyNotes Report
     

     21 May, 2013 | Conference KeyNotes

     If companies truly want leverage their human capital to grow their organizations, they should consider coaching employees at all levels.

160. Deep Dive Exchange Insights: The Evolving Face of Corrupt Practices in China – Managing 3rd Party Fraud Risk
     

     21 May, 2013 | China Center Publications

     A summary of discussion points, learnings, business issues, and implications from the Deep Dive Exchange session hosted by The Conference Board's China Center

161. Corporate Director Selection and Recruitment: A Matrix
     

     20 May, 2013 | Director Notes

     Every board should agree on a clear statement of desired personal attributes for all board members to guide the nominating and governance committee as they search for director candidates.

162. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Strategic Workforce Planning (Vol. 3, No. 1, 2013)
     

     14 May, 2013 | Human Capital in Review

     This publication explores hot topics within strategic workforce planning research. This issue includes articles on: the effects of an empathetic mindset, global mobility, and people management in the BRICS nations.

163. Corporate Image and Branding Conference KeyNotes Report
     

     13 May, 2013 | Conference KeyNotes

     Companies that can distill the complexity of their business into a simple and compelling message can win the enthusiasm of employees and the market.

164. China Center Chart of the Week: Recent jump in bank deposits likely boosted by new WMP regulations
     

     10 May, 2013 | China Center Publications

     This chart shows changes in the stock of outstanding deposits in China’s banking system on a monthly basis, and the total outstanding deposit growth.

165. Recent Changes in Europe’s Competitive Landscape and Medium-Term Perspectives: How the Sources of Demand and Supply Are Shaping Up
     

     06 May, 2013 | Economics Program Working Paper Series

     by Bart van Ark, Vivian Chen, Bert Colijn, Kirsten Jaeger, Wim Overmeer, and Marcel Timmer
     March 2013 - EPWP #13 – 05

166. China Center Chart of the Week: China’s manufacturing PMI should be taken with a growing grain of salt
     

     06 May, 2013 | China Center Publications

     This chart shows the performance of China’s official manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) since January 2010, along with the major subcomponents. We urge members to view this index with great caution.

167. Risk in the Boardroom
     

     01 May, 2013 | Director Notes

     According to a 2012 survey, almost one-quarter of financial services companies have instituted a dedicated risk committee, compared to 5 percent of nonfinancial services companies and 3 percent of manufacturers.

168. Conference Board Economics Watch^® - European View
     

     01 May, 2013 | Economics Watch Reports

     A recovery for the Euro Area has been delayed in part by continued weakness in business confidence. This issue also explores how prices and supplies of oil and natural gas may affect long-term growth prospects of Europe's economies.

169. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
     

     30 April, 2013 | Economics Watch Reports

     Once again economic activity started off the year on strong footing, to only lose steam heading into springtime. In this issue we also examine the shale gas and oil revolution to see if it can really be a game changer.

170. 2013 Customer Experience Leadership Conference KeyNotes Report
     

     30 April, 2013 | Conference KeyNotes

     Social media may have changed the retail experience, but digital technology has given companies tools for coping with and capitalizing on that change.

171. CEO Succession Practices: 2013 Edition
     

     29 April, 2013 | Research Report

     The rate of CEO succession in 2012 was 10.9 percent, consistent with the average number of leave-takings since 2000. In 2012, 53 CEOs in the S&P 500 left their posts.

172. China Center LEI Commentary: LEI growth stalled amid renewed tightening of policy measures
     

     26 April, 2013 | China Center Publications

     Interpretive comments on The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) and The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) for China, April 2013 (March 2013 data)

173. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Employee Engagement (Vol. 2, No. 1, 2013)
     

     22 April, 2013 | Human Capital in Review

     This publication explores hot topics within employee engagement research. This issue includes articles on: incorrect survey practices, engagement of the younger workforce, and alternative approaches to improving engagement scores.

174. Globalization Revisited: Who Will Get the New Wave of Knowledge Process Jobs?
     

     16 April, 2013 | Executive Action Report

     Offshoring is no longer the best or the only answer for management of knowledge process jobs, and many companies are investigating nearshore and onshore alternatives as the global competition for knowledge jobs intensifies.

175. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Diversity & Inclusion (Vol. 3, No. 1, 2013)
     

     15 April, 2013 | Human Capital in Review

     This publication explores hot topics within diversity and inclusion research. This issue includes articles on: perspective taking, cultural competency training, and Europe’s plans for its aging work population.

176. Who's Winning the Hunger Games? Q&A with Michael Moss
     

     15 April, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

     In a Q&A based on his book "Salt Sugar Fat," Michael Moss explains how Nabisco, Kraft, and General Mills got us to crave all the wrong things.

177. Up in the Air: How some companies manage to defy gravity
     

     15 April, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

     The authors draw on the results of a major study to identify and explain the key factors that generate long-term corporate success.

178. Trust No One: Understanding the price of business intelligence—and counterintelligence
     

     15 April, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

     A former CIA agent explains that the key to business counterintelligence is to avoid ever falling victim to information thieves who may target you without your even knowing it.

179. Business Case for Nature
     

     15 April, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

     The authors argue that companies should value natural resources as highly as any other.

180. Next 90 Days
     

     15 April, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

     Companies are increasingly looking beyond the short-term tyranny of the quarterly earnings report.

181. "Just Say No": If only fighting bribery were that simple
     

     15 April, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

     An expansive look at bribery today and how both companies and individual executives should handle sticky situations.

182. Workspace: Face-to-Face Fallacies
     

     15 April, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

     Columnist Alison Maitland looks critically at workplace strategies of Google and Yahoo!, calling them "retrograde attitudes from Internet giants."

183. Communicating Sustainability Leadership The Difficulty of Achieving Differentiation
     

     12 April, 2013 | Director Notes

     The overall decline in perceived performance of sustainability initiatives for two-thirds of companies in a recent study may be the result of rising skepticism about the benefits of sustainability programs.

184. Shifts in the Supply Chain Equation Provide Opportunities for Mid-Market Companies—and Concerns
     

     09 April, 2013 | Executive Action Report

     Constantly shifting production and transportation costs mean it’s back to the drawing board for many companies.

185. Managing the Total Workforce: Bringing Contingent Labor inside the Strategic Workforce Planning Tent
     

     08 April, 2013 | Research Report

     Creating a total workforce management framework gives companies a holistic understanding of how they use talent today and helps them evaluate future options.

186. Peer Groups Understanding CEO Compensation and a Proposal for a New Approach
     

     05 April, 2013 | Director Notes

     The use of external peer benchmarking in setting executive compensation has contributed to the problem of high and rising pay in the United States.

187. 2012 Future Leaders Conference KeyNotes Report
     

     05 April, 2013 | Conference KeyNotes

     Your enterprise is only as valuable as your employees, so it is imperative that you prepare leaders for the future.

188. Looking before You Leap: SWP and Offshoring Location Decisions
     

     05 April, 2013 | KnowlEdge Series Summaries

     HR executives and strategists can contribute to their company’s location strategy.

189. China Center Chart of the Week: China’s capital account liberalization is still a long way off
     

     03 April, 2013 | China Center Publications

     This chart shows China’s capital account in the Balance of Payments data, with positive numbers signaling credits (essentially money flowing into the economy in various forms) and negative numbers representing debits (net flows of assets held abroad).

190. Board Asia Newsletter
     

     02 April, 2013 | Periodical

     Quarter One 2013

191. On the Record with Dr. Loren Skeist
     

     02 April, 2013 | Executive Action Report

     The president of Spellman Electronics shares his views on The Conference Board CEO Challenge® of 2013 including the challenges CEOs ranked highest: innovation, operational excellence, and government regulation.

192. Conference Board Economics Watch^® - European View
     

     02 April, 2013 | Economics Watch Reports

     High youth unemployment and long-term demographic trends are both blocking a recovery in Euro Area household consumption.

193. Happiness Premium: What Companies Should Know about Leveraging Happiness in the Workplace
     

     28 March, 2013 | Executive Action Report

     A focus on employee happiness makes for a holistic approach to the idea of contentment in the workplace, and can greatly influence company performance overall.

194. Risk Matters: Why and How Corporate Boards Should Become Involved
     

     28 March, 2013 | Research Report

     This report specifies how to solidify defenses against multiple types of risk, and the role of the board in turning separate risk strategies into one consolidated risk management program.

195. China Center LEI Commentary: LEI still increasing, but the outcome will be highly policy-dependent
     

     28 March, 2013 | China Center Publications

     Interpretive comments on The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) and The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) for China, March 2013 (February 2013 data)

196. Proxy Voting Fact Sheet (March 2013)
     

     26 March, 2013 | Proxy Voting Fact Sheet

     At the start of the 2013 proxy season, proposals to declassify the board were the most frequently voted proposal topic and had the highest level of shareholder support.

197. Sustainability in the Boardroom: A 2013 Update
     

     26 March, 2013 | Director Notes

     According to a survey, when sustainability oversight is made a primary responsibility of senior management, it tends to fall to the CEO or another senior executive reporting to the CEO.

198. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
     

     25 March, 2013 | Economics Watch Reports

     The domestic private sector of the U.S. economy has shown great resilience in the face of ongoing global uncertainty and dysfunctional government policy. However, we maintain our cautious economic outlook for 2013.

199. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Talent Management (Vol. 3, No. 1, 2013)
     

     18 March, 2013 | Human Capital in Review

     This publication explores hot topics within talent management research. This issue includes articles on: country-specific struggles for technical talent, the value of being a learning organization, and customizing EVPs for high-risk employees.

200. 2012 Enterprise Risk Management Conference KeyNotes Report
     

     18 March, 2013 | Conference KeyNotes

     Enterprise risk management is not a stand-alone process. Instead, it needs to be tied to decision making and business strategy.

201. 2013 Talent Management Strategies Conference KeyNotes Report
     

     18 March, 2013 | Conference KeyNotes

     Innovating Talent Solutions to Deliver Results

202. China Center Data Flash: New leadership show signs of reining in risk areas
     

     18 March, 2013 | China Center Publications

     Data Flash is a brief interpretive summary of China’s official monthly economic data release – March 2013 (February 2013 data)

203. China Center Chart of the Week: China’s demographic shift has “officially” begun – at least according to the NBS definition
     

     18 March, 2013 | China Center Publications

     This chart shows the breakdown of the Chinese population by age group. In January, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) announced that the country’s working age population (ages 15 to 59) shrank for the first time in 2012.

204. Potential Cost and Value of ERM
     

     12 March, 2013 | Director Notes

     Many companies find the concept of enterprise risk management (ERM) appealing, but these companies are often hesitant to implement ERM because of the effort required.

205. Corporate Philanthropy with a Global Footprint
     

     08 March, 2013 | Research Report

     The context of global giving is changing. Investment, not philanthropy, is the preferred terminology and approach internationally, as this snapshot of the state of global corporate philanthropy illustrates.

206. China Center Quick Note: Xi Jinping at the helm: command and control – or negotiate and cajole?
     

     08 March, 2013 | China Center Publications

     This Quick Note assesses what China's incoming president might reasonably be expected to achieve given the limits necessarily imposed on him by the political system.

207. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
     

     05 March, 2013 | Economics Watch Reports

     U.S. economy still not fully in the clear with both the private sector and labor market far from robust and recently productivity growth has slumped. Moreover, dysfunctional government and tighter fiscal policy represent large downside risks.

208. China Center Chart of the Week: Formal bank loans - no longer the stalwart of Chinese finance
     

     05 March, 2013 | China Center Publications

     This chart shows newly issued net Total Social Finance in China on a quarterly basis, broken down into its constituent parts. The share of non-bank finance has grown markedly.

209. 2012 Onboarding Leadership Conference KeyNotes Report
     

     01 March, 2013 | Conference KeyNotes

     For onboarding to work, it needs to be more thorough than a mere orientation and paced to match the minds and moods of employees.

210. Riding the Reform Innovation Wave: Implications for Health Care Organizations and Their CHROs
     

     01 March, 2013 | Executive Action Report

     Chief human resources officers of health care companies are innovating and communicating with their employees to manage changes brought on by The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010.

211. Conference Board Economics Watch^® - European View
     

     28 February, 2013 | Economics Watch Reports

     Recent changes in competitiveness measures for Euro Area economies provide another signal that economic outlook is improving, but weak long-term productivity growth represents important constraint on speed and strength of any recovery.

212. FCPA Enforcement Trends
     

     27 February, 2013 | Director Notes

     Compared to the blistering pace set by U.S. authorities in previous years, 2012 saw a decline in FCPA enforcement. This downturn, however, will probably be short-lived.

213. Integrating Corporate Wellness Initiatives within Human Capital Strategy
     

     27 February, 2013 | Executive Action Report

     How can companies successfully work their wellness initiatives into their larger human capital strategy?

214. China Center LEI Commentary: LEI boosted by the Chinese New Year
     

     27 February, 2013 | China Center Publications

     Interpretive comments on The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) and The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) for China, February 2013 (January 2012 data)

215. Going Public on HR Data Privacy: Implications for Human Capital Analytics and Strategic Workforce Planning
     

     26 February, 2013 | Executive Action Report

     Many HR organizations are skittish about collecting certain types of employee data, especially when they plan to integrate it across national borders.

216. China Center Chart of the Week: Do weak retail sales over the Chinese New Year holiday signal slowing consumption growth?
     

     22 February, 2013 | China Center Publications

     This chart assesses the “real” (i.e. inflation adjusted to 2012 price levels) monthly Retail Sales of Consumer Goods statistic over the last 5 years, emphasizing the sales for Chinese New Year (CNY) holiday periods.

217. China Center Quick Note: Barring the unexpected, China’s economy to downshift considerably, as a natural consequence of both size and maturation
     

     21 February, 2013 | China Center Publications

     In the latest update of The Conference Board’s Global Economic Outlook, we project that China’s trend growth rate will slow to 5.8 percent over the 2013-2018 period and fall further to 3.7 percent from 2019-2025.

218. Director Compensation and Board Practices: 2013 Edition
     

     20 February, 2013 | Research Report

     This report analyzes findings from a 2012 survey of 359 companies and provides benchmarking information on the compensation awarded to individual board members in FY2011 and on board practices.

219. Sustainability Matters 2013: How Companies Communicate and Engage on Sustainability
     

     20 February, 2013 | Research Report

     How are companies addressing what they have defined as their corporate sustainability responsibilities? This report provides an answer through a multifaceted examination of current sustainability practices.

220. Preparing for a Succession Emergency
     

     12 February, 2013 | Director Notes

     By integrating an emergency succession plan into their crisis management process, companies can determine their preparedness, identify a credible emergency successor, and increase their ability to smoothly manage the announcement.

221. 2012 Senior Corporate Communication Management Conference KeyNotes Report
     

     11 February, 2013 | Conference KeyNotes

     Since the communication department is integral to driving business, communications professionals need to understand the business side of the organization.

222. Leveling the Playing Field: Attracting, Engaging, and Advancing People with Disabilities
     

     07 February, 2013 | Research Report

     The  median income for people with disabilities is less than half that of people without disabilies, despite significant federal legislation. This report addresses how to overcome this disparity.

223. China Center Chart of the Week: Real household consumption increasingly hard to gauge using the monthly “Retail Sales of Consumer Goods” statistic
     

     07 February, 2013 | China Center Publications

     This chart compares consumption in China as measured by the monthly “Retail Sales of Consumer Goods” statistic with the household consumption statistic derived from China’s quarterly Expenditure GDP and figures estimated by NBS’ Quarterly Household Survey

224. China Center LEI Commentary: Slower LEI growth indicates the current rebound may be short-lived
     

     05 February, 2013 | China Center Publications

     Interpretive comments on The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) and The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) for China, January 2013 (December 2012 data)

225. China Center Chart of the Week: Less and less growth from more and more credit
     

     01 February, 2013 | China Center Publications

     This chart shows the credit intensity of Chinese economic growth in both nominal and real terms. Credit intensity refers to the ratio of new credit to incremental GDP growth in an economy, and the situation for China is becoming increasingly grim.

226. Conference Board Economics Watch^® - European View
     

     31 January, 2013 | Economics Watch Reports

     Results from The Conference Board CEO Challenge® survey provide a perspective on how business leaders in Europe are responding to a more stable but still challenging economic environment in the Euro Area.

227. Trapped on the Worker Treadmill?
     

     31 January, 2013 | Executive Action Report

     Why more U.S. workers than ever before are planning to delay retirement

228. Will the Decline in Unit Labor Cost in Europe's Troubled Economies Help Improve Competitiveness?
     

     30 January, 2013 | Executive Action Report

     Will the blood, sweat, and tears poured into reforming European economies pay off?

229. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
     

     25 January, 2013 | Economics Watch Reports

     Growth rebounds in second half, after fiscal drag in first half. This issue also includes results from CEO Challenge® survey which shows businesses look at internal strengths to better compete in what is poised to remain a slow growth environment.

230. Building an Effective Product Stewardship and Regulatory Affairs Organization
     

     25 January, 2013 | Council Perspectives

     PSRA has expanded from narrowly managing compliance to enabling the business to pursue new products and markets, driving the need for additional skills in the function.

231. China Center Chart of the Week: Interdependence of Chinese and Japanese economies is much larger than their trade relationship
     

     25 January, 2013 | China Center Publications

     This chart shows China’s imports from and exports to Japan until the end of 2012, and uses Input-Output table analysis to calculate the amount the Japanese and Chinese economies impact one another, both directly and indirectly.

232. 2012 Executive Compensation Conference KeyNotes Report
     

     24 January, 2013 | Conference KeyNotes

     As say on pay enters its third year, it has empowered shareholders to cast “no” votes to proxy statement descriptions of executive compensation programs that fail to make the grade.

233. Bar Is Rising on Sustainability Leadership
     

     23 January, 2013 | Director Notes

     In a reflection of ongoing corporate efforts to define and achieve sustainability goals, real performance on sustainability is rising. On the other hand, stakeholders’ perceptions about organizations’ performance are declining.

234. 2012 Human Capital Analytics Conference KeyNotes Report
     

     23 January, 2013 | Conference KeyNotes

     These Conference KeyNotes summarize the discussions held by the approximately 114 executives who attended The 2012 Human Capital Analytics Conference in New York in November 2012.

235. Addressing the Talent Shortage in China and India: Leveraging Women in the Workforce
     

     22 January, 2013 | Executive Action Report

     Women are underutilized in labor markets in Asia. Leveraging women in the workforce is essential to resolve this talent shortage and promote both social and economic development in these countries.

236. Design-Centered Innovation: Observe, Learn, Innovate
     

     16 January, 2013 | Council Perspectives

     Customers value the experience of using a product or service, not just the product or service itself. Companies can use a design-centered approach to innovation to facilitate the process of selling the total “experience” to their customers.

237. Five Years of Strategic Workforce Planning Research: What Have We Learned?
     

     16 January, 2013 | Research Report

     Most companies that have begun implementing strategic workforce planning (SWP) still have a long way to go, five years of research collected on the topic indicates.

238. Is It Up to Business to Solve the Toughest Problems?
     

     16 January, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

     Companies, argues benefits consultant Jennifer Benz, need to shoulder some of the responsibility for workers' struggles with obesity and financial insecurity.

239. A Higher Consciousness: Whole Foods co-CEO John Mackey looks to elevate business
     

     16 January, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

     John Mackey of Whole Foods explains his philosophy of "conscious capitalism" and corporate responsibility—and how it dovetails with his libertarian political ideology.

240. Navigating Politics: Rethink your company's political spending—before the next election cycle
     

     16 January, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

     Bruce Freed and Karl Sandstrom argue that companies should take the opportunity to closely examine whether their political spending is in line with their political and societal priorities and stances.

241. Why Be Happy? Instead of attaching smiley emoticons to every moment of our lives, Oliver Burkeman suggests, we should welcome more negativity.
     

     16 January, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

     Q&A with social critic Oliver Burkeman about the perils of positive thinking, in and out of the workplace.

242. Pay Problem: It's not that we pay CEOs too much—it's that we pay everyone else too little.
     

     16 January, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

     High CEO pay still gets all the attention, but it's no longer a problem that demands immediate fixing. What companies need to address is how they compensate everyone else.

243. Will Your People Be Ready? Top executives reveal how they are addressing today's meteoric pace of change.
     

     16 January, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

     Two dozen top executives discuss how they're managing their people to deal with the increasing rate of change.

244. A Rebuilding Year: In a slow-growth 2013, companies need to prepare for a new future.
     

     16 January, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

     In TCB Review's annual Q&A with chief economist Bart van Ark, he elaborates on his generally downbeat 2013 global economic forecast.

245. Part-Time Executive
     

     16 January, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

     Many top executives, particularly in Europe, are working less and accomplishing more.

246. Main Skill Your HR Chief Lacks
     

     16 January, 2013 | The Conference Board Review

     Recruiting is exactly the kind of experience that every chief of HR needs to understand the stakes of doing HR wrong.

247. 2012 Organization Design Conference KeyNotes Report
     

     15 January, 2013 | Conference KeyNotes

     Organization design is both a science and an art. The science includes using the new design to solve a business problem. The art involves building relationships and influencing others.

248. Proxy Voting Analytics (2008-2012)
     

     08 January, 2013 | Research Report

     The effects of say on pay on shareholder engagement, introduction of proxy access proposals, and resurgence of board declassification resolutions were the principal themes of the 2012 proxy season.

249. Achieving a Successful Annual Meeting
     

     02 January, 2013 | Director Notes

     Responsibility for successful annual general meetings rests with each company’s management and board. Both should ensure the meeting informs and educates stakeholders on the links between governance and business strategy.

2012

1. Conference Board Economics Watch^® - European View
   

   21 December, 2012 | Economics Watch Reports

   Progress on financial integration does not result in improved outlook for Euro Area

2. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
   

   20 December, 2012 | Economics Watch Reports

   Underlying strengthening in U.S. economy will be delayed if fiscal drags become large

3. Corporate Political Spending: Policies and Practices, Accountability, and Disclosure
   

   20 December, 2012 | Research Report

   When it comes to political spending and the related questions of how to demonstrate accountability and how much information to disclose, there is no single right answer.

4. China Center Data Flash: Fragility and uncertainty persist
   

   20 December, 2012 | China Center Publications

   Data Flash is a brief interpretive summary of China’s official monthly economic data release – December 2012 (November 2012 data)

5. Executive Coaching Survey: 2012 Edition
   

   19 December, 2012 | Research Report

   Executives who manage coaching practices can benchmark their own organizations against the responses of the 162 respondent companies in this survey; the report looks at internal and external coaching practices.

6. 2012 Succession Management Conference KeyNotes Report
   

   19 December, 2012 | Conference KeyNotes

   Talent managers should incorporate new neuroscience research into their leadership development strategies and work to promote succession management from an human resources service to a core business strategy.

7. Safeguarding Intellectual Property and Addressing Corruption in the Global Supply Chain
   

   18 December, 2012 | Research Report

   Third-party intellectual property compliance would benefit from a more formal process for risk assessments, due diligence, and auditing and monitoring to ensure consistent standards are used across the organization.

8. China Center Chart of the Week: Rising unit labor costs underscore the imperative for economic transition
   

   18 December, 2012 | China Center Publications

   This chart shows China’s unit labor cost – the average cost of labor per unit of output (ULC) – as a percent of the United States’ ULC. Growth in a country’s ULC is a key measure of its competitiveness.

9. Employee Engagement: What Works Now?
   

   17 December, 2012 | Research Report

   Even when organizations commit to achieving a high level of employee engagement, the goal can be elusive. This report examines current engagement practices to discover how companies find success.

10. Conference Board Labor Markets in Review™: Vol. 2, No. 3, 2012
    

    17 December, 2012 | Periodical

    This periodical publication offers an expert perspective on the implications of current economic conditions on the labor market, with specific focus on the United States, Europe, and emerging markets.

11. Achieving Pay for Performance
    

    14 December, 2012 | Director Notes

    This report discusses the three dimensions of pay for performance, demonstrates how to measure them using historical pay data, and presents a simple pay plan that achieves perfect pay for performance using annual grants of performance shares.

12. China Center Chart of the Week: Consumption is the most important driver of labor demand
    

    14 December, 2012 | China Center Publications

    This chart explores overall labor demand (i.e. both direct and indirect) generated by household consumption, government consumption, investment, and exports in China.

13. Intangible Capital and Growth in Advanced Economies: Measurement Methods and Comparative Results
    

    13 December, 2012 | Economics Program Working Paper Series

    by Carol Corrado, Jonathan Haskel, Cecilia Jona-Lasinio and Massimiliano Iommi
    December 2012 - EPWP #12 – 03

14. Innovation Accounting
    

    13 December, 2012 | Economics Program Working Paper Series

    by Carol Corrado and Charles Hulten
    December 2012 - EPWP #12 – 04

15. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Diversity & Inclusion (Vol. 2, No. 4, 2012)
    

    11 December, 2012 | Human Capital in Review

    This publication is designed for the busy human capital executive who values selected and thoughtfully summarized article reviews of what is happening in the area of diversity and inclusion.

16. China Center LEI Commentary: Looking beyond month-to-month volatility – sustainability of current rebound not yet certain
    

    06 December, 2012 | China Center Publications

    Interpretive comments on The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) and The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) for China, November 2012 (October 2012 data)

17. Board Oversight of Management’s Risk Appetite and Tolerance
    

    05 December, 2012 | Director Notes

    This Director Notes analyzes the handicaps created by current risk oversight and assurance approaches and tools, highlights six goals for boards in executing their risk oversight duties, and provides practical advice for directors on how to achieve them.

18. Preparedness in the Private Sector: 2012 Report
    

    05 December, 2012 | Research Report

    Coordinating with organizations that provide essential services, improving supply chain flexibility, and improving employees’ ability to recover from a disaster are essential to achieving organizational resilience.

     

19. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Strategic Workforce Planning (Vol. 2, No. 4, 2012)
    

    05 December, 2012 | Human Capital in Review

    This publication is designed for the busy human capital executive who values selected and thoughtfully summarized article reviews of what is happening in the area of strategic workforce planning.

20. China Center Chart of the Week: China’s falling returns on capital will cause slower growth or higher leverage (or both)
    

    04 December, 2012 | China Center Publications

    The chart shows The Conference Board’s estimation of the Marginal Product of Capital (MPK) for various countries, broken into two groups: lower income and higher income.

21. Conference Board Economics Watch^® - European View
    

    30 November, 2012 | Economics Watch Reports

    Policies implemented to control the financial crisis are partially succeeding, but have not yet improved confidence or growth prospects

22. Reading the Tea Leaves: The Impact of China's Twelfth Five-Year Plan on Human Capital Challenges
    

    27 November, 2012 | Research Report

    This report highlights the human capital aspects of the plan that will have the greatest impact on business. Our analysis suggests current labor projections need to be interpreted with caution.

23. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
    

    27 November, 2012 | Economics Watch Reports

    Economic growth poised to rebound in the second half of 2013

24. China Center Chart of the Week: Not so fast! Why China’s economy will continue to slow
    

    23 November, 2012 | China Center Publications

    The chart shows The Conference Board’s most recent medium- and long-term projections for trend growth in real GDP for China, broken down by contributions from labor, capital and productivity.

25. Corporate Philanthropy in China: A Practitioner's Guide for Foreign Donors
    

    21 November, 2012 | Research Report

    This report describes China’s nonprofit sector and the challenges for foreign donors who wish to get involved with Chinese nonprofits. It also gives suggestions for identifying and partnering with organizations.

26. China Center Quick Note: China’s “Elections” and the Future of Reform
    

    21 November, 2012 | China Center Publications

    This Quick Note examines the policy imperatives for China’s new, recently “elected” leading group. MNCs should pay special attention to monitoring policy developments related to financial/credit market reform and State Owned Enterprise reform.

27. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Talent Management (Vol. 2, No. 3, 2012)
    

    19 November, 2012 | Human Capital in Review

    This publication is designed for the busy human capital executive who values selected and thoughtfully summarized article reviews of what is happening in the area of talent management.

28. On the Record with Nick Konidaris
    

    15 November, 2012 | Executive Action Report

    This is a follow-up interview with one of the CEOs of a mid-market firm who participated in The Conference Board CEO Challenge 2012: Nick Konidaris, President and CEO of Electro Scientific Industries (ESI).

29. China Center Data Flash: Fragile rebound advanced in October
    

    15 November, 2012 | China Center Publications

    Data Flash is a brief interpretive summary of China’s official monthly economic data release – November 2012 (October 2012 data)

30. China Center Chart of the Week: Investment and exports diminish as growth drivers, but remain critical to sustaining economy’s size
    

    15 November, 2012 | China Center Publications

    This chart underscores the importance of Consumption as a major driver of GDP growth in China, and suggests this has been the case since well before the global financial crisis of 2008 and the associated fall off in global export demand.

31. Charting a Path to Sustainability Leadership
    

    14 November, 2012 | Director Notes

    This report looks at the potential benefits of demonstrating good environmental, social, and governance performance and discusses five traits of companies that excel in the operational and communication dimensions of sustainability.

32. StraightTalk^®
    Global Economic Outlook 2013: Is the global economic speed limit slowing down?
    

    13 November, 2012 | StraightTalk®

    From The Conference Board Chief Economist.

33. StraightTalk® Special Issue for All Members: Global Economic Outlook 2013
    

    13 November, 2012 | StraightTalk®

    From The Conference Board Chief Economist: Is the global economic speed limit slowing down?

34. Projecting Global Growth
    

    13 November, 2012 | Economics Program Working Paper Series

    by Vivian Chen, Ben Cheng, Gad Levanon, Ataman Ozyildirim and Bart van Ark
    November 2012 - EPWP #12 – 02

35. Human Capital Analytics: A Primer
    

    06 November, 2012 | Research Report

    Human capital professionals have yet to move from being reactive to proactive and predictive. We identify the best practices that lead to rapidly developing a sound human capital analytics function

36. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Employee Engagement (Vol. 1, No. 3, 2012)
    

    05 November, 2012 | Human Capital in Review

    This publication is designed for the busy human capital executive who values selected and thoughtfully summarized article reviews of what is happening in the area of employee engagement.

37. Conference Board Economics Watch^® - European View
    

    02 November, 2012 | Economics Watch Reports

    The financial crisis has spurred European leaders to consider hastening fiscal and regulatory integration, which has helped reduce financial instability. However, the poor performance of confidence indicators show that the Euro Area economy reamins weak.

38. China Center LEI Commentary: Increase in LEI slows, as real estate gives back gains from August
    

    01 November, 2012 | China Center Publications

    Interpretive comments on The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) and The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) for China, October 2012 (September 2012 data)

39. China Center Quick Note: The Fourth Estate and China’s Reform Agenda
    

    31 October, 2012 | China Center Publications

    This Quick Note assert that the emerging Fourth Estate phenomenon -- deep, fact-based investigative journalism -- is extremely important for MNC business planners to monitor as a presage to policy leanings and political-economy trends in China.

40. China Center Chart of the Week, Special Philanthropy Series, part 1 of 4: China’s nonprofit sector – growing rapidly, but still highly constrained
    

    30 October, 2012 | China Center Publications

    Leading up to the release of a new beachhead report by the China Center on Corporate Philanthropy in China (to be published in November) we are releasing a special series of Charts of the Week on the topic. This is part one of four.

41. China Center Chart of the Week, Special Philanthropy Series, part 2 of 4: Public perception is an important driver shaping China’s nonprofit sector
    

    30 October, 2012 | China Center Publications

    Leading up to the release of a new beachhead report by the China Center on Corporate Philanthropy in China (to be published in November) we are releasing a special series of Charts of the Week on the topic. This is part two of four.

42. China Center Chart of the Week, Special Philanthropy Series, part 3 of 4: Corporations playing key role in advancing civil society engagement in China
    

    30 October, 2012 | China Center Publications

    Leading up to the release of a new beachhead report by the China Center on Corporate Philanthropy in China (to be published in November) we are releasing a special series of Charts of the Week on the topic. This is part three of four.

43. China Center Chart of the Week, Special Philanthropy Series, part 4 of 4: How much do companies in China spend on philanthropy?
    

    30 October, 2012 | China Center Publications

    Leading up to the release of a new beachhead report by the China Center on Corporate Philanthropy in China (to be published in November) we are releasing a special series of Charts of the Week on the topic. This is part four of four.

44. Reporting on Corporate Sustainability Performance
    

    29 October, 2012 | Director Notes

    This report presents an analysis of 94 sustainability reports published by Canadian corporations in 10 sectors. The results reveal incredible diversity in the performance indicators disclosed, both across and within sectors.

45. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
    

    26 October, 2012 | Economics Watch Reports

    The U.S. remains poised to at least partially fall off the “fiscal cliff".

46. What Do Corporate Directors and Senior Managers Know about Social Media?
    

    24 October, 2012 | Director Notes

    This report provides insights into how senior-level decision makers in North American companies view social media, and offers recommendations for implementing a social media strategy that ties in with corporate strategy and risk management practices.

47. China Center Data Flash: September data - a glimmer of light, but not yet out of the tunnel
    

    23 October, 2012 | China Center Publications

    Data Flash is a brief interpretive summary of China’s official monthly economic data release – October 2012 (September 2012 data)

48. 2012 Executive Compensation Conference KeyNotes Report
    

    17 October, 2012 | Conference KeyNotes

    Companies can show they are taking shareholder feedback into account by reaching out to investors regardless of how they voted and changing future compensation programs based on investors feedback. 

49. 2012 Citizenship and Sustainability Conference KeyNotes Report
    

    17 October, 2012 | Conference KeyNotes

    The best way to ensure your organization’s operations meet society’s expectations is to embed corporate responsibility into your business practices

50. State of Human Capital 2012: False Summit
    

    15 October, 2012 | Research Report

    Responding in part to human capital executives’ stated frustrations, this report examines four opportunities for HC executives to better manage the global talent pool in an unpredictable business environment.

51. Review of Shareholder Proposals on Environmental Issues
    

    09 October, 2012 | Director Notes

    This report looks at shareholder proposals on environmental issues that were voted during the 2012 proxy season to determine which issues were most often brought to boards and which received the greatest support from shareholders.

52. Collapse: Alan Wurtzel helped make Circuit City a great company. And then he set out to learn why it failed.
    

    08 October, 2012 | The Conference Board Review

    A Q&A with Alan Wurtzel, former chairman and CEO of Circuit City and author of "Good to Great to Gone."

53. Think Different? Real diversity means getting past groupthink.
    

    08 October, 2012 | The Conference Board Review

    How is it possible that organizations have achieved outward diversity but not diversity of thought? This article explains.

54. Who Needs Long Division?
    

    08 October, 2012 | The Conference Board Review

    How to adapt today’s education system to tomorrow’s digital workplace. An excerpt from Marc Prensky's book "Brain Gain."

55. Marketing Monster: When executives begin to believe their own hype.
    

    08 October, 2012 | The Conference Board Review

    BP offers a cautionary tale about how a company can fall victim to its own deceptive empowerment marketing strategy. An excerpt from Jonah Sachs' book "Winning the Story Wars."

56. Let Your People Go
    

    08 October, 2012 | The Conference Board Review

    Our thinking about employee retention is too often simplistic and narrow.

57. Men Not at Work: Q&A with Hanna Rosin
    

    08 October, 2012 | The Conference Board Review

    The modern economy is better suited to women, says Hanna Rosin, and men have so far been unable or unwilling to adjust.

58. Link Not Found: Why CEOs still see technology as separate from “the business.”
    

    08 October, 2012 | The Conference Board Review

    The paradox for chief information officers: You are intimately involved in every fact of the business, yet you are often considered separate and removed from it. An excerpt from Martha Heller's book "The CIO Paradox."

59. Conference Board Economics Watch^® - European View
    

    28 September, 2012 | Economics Watch Reports

    ECB's decision to buy short-term sovereign debt and progress towards creation of European Stability Mechanism (ESM) has improved prospects for resolving Euro Area financial crisis, though many obstacles remain.

60. Building a Resilient Workforce: A Critical Component of Disaster Recovery
    

    28 September, 2012 | Executive Action Report

    Resilience has traditionally been the ability of information systems, databases, and facilities to bounce back after a disaster. But true resilience requires that companies also prepare their employees to recover, both in their jobs and personal lives.

61. China Center LEI Commentary: Real estate perks up the LEI in August – but it is unlikely to last
    

    28 September, 2012 | China Center Publications

    Interpretive comments on The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) and The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) for China, September 2012 (August 2012 data)

62. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
    

    28 September, 2012 | Economics Watch Reports

    The ongoing weakness in the U.S. economy has prompted the Federal Reserve to unleash its third round of quantitative easing. However, more quantitative easing is not the pancea that will quickly boost the economy.

63. Conference Board Economics Watch^® Emerging Markets View
    

    26 September, 2012 | Economics Watch Reports

    Emerging markets: staying competitive amid slowing growth

64. Defining Pay in Pay for Performance
    

    25 September, 2012 | Director Notes

    This report examines pay-for-performance (PFP) issues to consider in making year-end compensation decisions, designing pay plans, and drafting 2013 proxies. It also offers examples of how to define “pay” for PFP analysis and disclosure purposes.

65. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Diversity and Inclusion (Vol. 2, No. 3, 2012)
    

    20 September, 2012 | Human Capital in Review

    This publication is designed for the busy human capital executive who values selected and thoughtfully summarized article reviews of what is happening in the area of diversity and inclusion.

66. China Center Chart of the Week: Increasing intangible investment not yielding commensurate increases in output
    

    17 September, 2012 | China Center Publications

    The US and Germany have generated increasing output per capita from their intangible investment, whereas China has not. R&D spending is part of the problem.

67. Talent Management Tomorrow: Seeing Around the Corner to Meet Strategic Business Needs
    

    14 September, 2012 | Council Perspectives

    This report, the work of eight councils of The Conference Board worldwide in the area of talent management, assesses the current state of the function and then “peeks around the corner” to see what challenges lie ahead.

68. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Strategic Workforce Planning (Vol. 2, No. 3, 2012)
    

    14 September, 2012 | Human Capital in Review

    This publication is designed for the busy human capital executive who values selected and thoughtfully summarized article reviews of what is happening in the area of strategic workforce planning.

69. CEO Challenge Reflections: Human Capital Practitioners Respond
    

    12 September, 2012 | Executive Action Report

    This report compares the responses of human capital professionals to the human capital strategies cited by 370 CEOs that ranked human capital as one of their top three challenges in The Conference Board CEO Challenge 2012.

70. China Center Data Flash: Tug of war -- manufacturing down, infrastructure up
    

    12 September, 2012 | China Center Publications

    Data Flash is a brief interpretive summary of China’s official monthly economic data release – September 2012 (August 2012 data)

71. When the Debt Incurred in a Cash Merger Causes the Target to Fail: Protecting Target Directors
    

    11 September, 2012 | Director Notes

    This report describes the potential liability directors may face if they approve a cash merger financed in substantial part through borrowing and the target company fails. It also offers steps directors can consider to help mitigate that risk.

72. Leveraging Corporate Security for Business Growth and Improved Performance: The Transformative Effect of 9/11
    

    11 September, 2012 | Council Perspectives

    Security has become a core function, embedded in disciplines like finance, law, human resources, quality, supply chain, marketing, and operations.

73. Corporate Diversity & Inclusion Conference KeyNotes Report
    

    10 September, 2012 | Conference KeyNotes

    The current macroeconomic environment gives diversity leaders an unprecedented opportunity to cement the strategic value of diversity for business success.

74. China Center Chart of the Week: China’s intangible investment – high in absolute amount, small relative to conventional capex
    

    07 September, 2012 | China Center Publications

    China has spent a much larger amount on intangible investment, as a percentage of GDP, than other countries at similar, or higher, levels of development.

75. China Center LEI Commentary: A pick up in infrastructure investment remains the only driver of growth, but may ultimately become a burden
    

    06 September, 2012 | China Center Publications

    Interpretive Comments on The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) and The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) for China, August 2012 (July 2012 data)

76. Conference Board Economics Watch^® - European View
    

    29 August, 2012 | Economics Watch Reports

    ECB promises to purchase short-term bonds of troubled countries has reduced financial instability for now. Long-term growth prospects in much of Euro Area remain uncertain, but expanding trade relations with China could help.

77. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Talent Management (Vol. 2, No. 2, 2012)
    

    29 August, 2012 | Human Capital in Review

    This publication is designed for the busy human capital executive who values selected and thoughtfully summarized article reviews of what is happening in the area of talent management.

78. U.S. Top Executive Compensation Report: 2012 Edition
    

    28 August, 2012 | Research Report

    Has scrutiny of CEO compensation since the financial crisis changed the way executives are paid? We examine the take of the five highest-paid execs of 2,411 companies to find out.

79. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
    

    24 August, 2012 | Economics Watch Reports

    The U.S. economy suffers from a lack of consumer demand, a cautious corporate sector that is not spending or hiring, and high inventory levels that will hold back production activity going forward.

80. China Center Chart of the Week: Intangible investment in China has grown rapidly – but is it efficient?
    

    24 August, 2012 | China Center Publications

    Despite the substantial top-line growth, it appears that overall spending on intangibles in China has largely been policy driven, rather than deriving from firm-level innovation.

81. Extending Your Brand to Employees Conference KeyNotes Report
    

    21 August, 2012 | Conference KeyNotes

    Over the last two years, companies have become more focused on employer branding, but determining the one meaningful brand message to communicate remains a challenge.

82. China Center Data Flash: July disappoints – even investment growth levels off
    

    17 August, 2012 | China Center Publications

    Data Flash is a brief interpretive summary of China’s official monthly economic data release – August 2012 (July 2012 data)

83. China Center Quick Note: The Missing Tea Leaves
    

    17 August, 2012 | China Center Publications

    This Quick Note examines perennial data gap issues in China, and, more recently, the trend of disappearing data. The note provides much needed context about the history, political framework and utility of data publication in China.

84. Handling a Corporate Crisis
    

    15 August, 2012 | Director Notes

    In today’s climate, securities and financial firms are likely to face some enforcement proceedings that create a situation fraught with potential pitfalls. This report discusses 10 prescriptions for handling these situations well.

85. 2012 Change Management Conference KeyNotes Report
    

    14 August, 2012 | Conference KeyNotes

    Globalization has level playing fields and revolutionized power structures, and keeping up with all of the changes requires conscious effort.

86. Women’s Leadership Conference KeyNotes Report
    

    10 August, 2012 | Conference KeyNotes

    Having more women in leadership roles is a competitive advantage, but much of the potential represented by women’s talent remains unrealized.

87. Education and Corporate Philanthropy: Focus Funding for Maximum Impact
    

    09 August, 2012 | Council Perspectives

    Developing a lens through which to evaluate each potential corporate philanthropy program is critical to success and maximizing impact.

88. China Center LEI Commentary: Real economic activity remains weak – credit alone drives the LEI in June
    

    02 August, 2012 | China Center Publications

    Interpretive Comments on The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) and The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) for China, July 2012 (June 2012 data)

89. Conference Board Economics Watch^® - European View
    

    31 July, 2012 | Economics Watch Reports

    Measures taken at June 28-29 EU Summit represent steps in the right direction, but have so far failed to restore confidence.

90. Human Capital Challenges in Asia-Pacific 2011-2013: Driving Employee Engagement with Communication and Work-Life Balance
    

    31 July, 2012 | Executive Action Report

    Companies that survey and measure employee engagement—and communicate organizational actions and results from senior leadership—are managing employee engagement effectively.

91. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
    

    30 July, 2012 | Economics Watch Reports

    The U.S. economy has no forward momentum and little help from monetary or fiscal policy. Future growth depends on whether U.S. businesses can escape the “commodity trap.”

92. Despite the Chaos, Europe's Economies Are Regaining Competitiveness through Improvements in Unit Labor Cost Performance
    

    27 July, 2012 | Executive Action Report

    Can Europe’s recent gains in productivity and lower unit labor costs be sustained?

93. Proxy Voting Fact Sheet (July 2012)
    

    26 July, 2012 | Proxy Voting Fact Sheet

    This edition contains a snapshot of the most relevant proxy season data for Russell 3000 companies that held annual general meetings (AGMs) between January 1 and June 30, 2012.

94. Strategic Risk Management: A Primer for Directors
    

    25 July, 2012 | Director Notes

    This report describes the factors that are driving the need for board-level strategic risk management, outlines a strategic risk assessment process, and offers recommendations for integrating risk management in strategy execution and measurement.

95. Sustainability Practices: 2012 Edition
    

    24 July, 2012 | Research Report

    In FY2010, companies in the telecommunications services and utilities sectors were most likely to release sustainability reports, while companies in the materials sector were least likely to offer comprehensive disclosure.

96. LGBT in the Workplace and Marketplace
    

    23 July, 2012 | KnowlEdge Series Summaries

    The LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) population is no longer merely included in corporate strategy, but is a focus of that strategy, as companies try to attract both LGBT talent and market share.

97. China Center Data Flash: Growth stabilizes in June, but weakness remains
    

    20 July, 2012 | China Center Publications

    Data Flash is a brief interpretive summary of China’s official monthly economic data release – July 2012 (June 2012 data)

98. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Employee Engagement (Vol. 1, No. 2, 2012)
    

    19 July, 2012 | Human Capital in Review

    The Human Capital in Review series is designed for the busy human capital executive who values filtered and thoughtfully summarized highlights of significant ideas, topics, research, and trends in employee engagement.

99. 2012 Leadership Development Conference KeyNotes Report
    

    18 July, 2012 | Conference KeyNotes

    The future is already here, but it is unevenly distributed. By 2021, everyone under 25 will be a digital native, and this new generation will require new practices of engagement.

100. Conference Board® Labor Markets in Review™: Vol. 2, No. 2
     

     16 July, 2012 | Periodical

     This issue includes an overview of the main economic and labor market conditions in the United States, Europe, and Asia, as well as several special topics.

101. China Center Quick Note: China’s Consumption Paradox
     

     16 July, 2012 | China Center Publications

     This Quick Note examines and explains the structural factors constraining household consumption in China, and the challenges China faces in transitioning to a consumption-driven economy.

102. Stakeholder Dialogue in Germany, Italy, and the United States
     

     11 July, 2012 | Director Notes

     This Director Notes describes the results of an international survey on 249 stakeholder dialogue (SD) initiatives undertaken by firms in Germany, Italy, and the United States.

103. Strategic Workforce Planning across National Borders
     

     09 July, 2012 | Research Report

     Strategic workforce planning can play a valuable role by questioning the unexamined assumptions that business leaders may be making about the availability, quality, cost, and mobility of talent in critical locations.

104. Are Your Opinions Really Your Own?
     

     09 July, 2012 | The Conference Board Review

     HR departments increasingly require disclaimers be appended to employees' Twitter posts. But disclaimers are a flawed solution to a dubious problem.

105. Who Leads? Who Follows?
     

     09 July, 2012 | The Conference Board Review

     True authority is not granted by position or by statute. Rather, authority is bestowed by those who agree to be led. Today, leadership is not about achieving position. It is about creating followership.

106. Disconnect: The company you think you're running is not the company for which your people work.
     

     09 July, 2012 | The Conference Board Review

     CEOs rarely know much about how work actually gets done below the C-suite level.

107. Do Your Customers Trust You?
     

     09 July, 2012 | The Conference Board Review

     Q&A with Don Peppers and Martha Rogers, authors of "Extreme Trust: Honesty as a Competitive Advantage."

108. Workspace: The Five Types of Trust
     

     09 July, 2012 | The Conference Board Review

     Columnist Alison Maitland explains how senior leaders can build credibility within and without organizations.

109. HR: You're Doing It Wrong: Jones vs. Anastasijevic
     

     09 July, 2012 | The Conference Board Review

     Columnist Laurie Ruettimann explains how people with difficult last names have a harder time getting hired and promoted.

110. Theory to Practice: Management by Imitation
     

     09 July, 2012 | The Conference Board Review

     Columnist Michael Raynor explains how a biography of a leader—even Steve Jobs—cannot serve as a good blueprint for one's own life.

111. Nothing in Common: How to do business in a world of difference
     

     09 July, 2012 | The Conference Board Review

     Understanding the ways and whys of people unlike yourself is key to winning and keeping customers, managing today’s workforce, and relating to the activists who have an increasingly influential voice in where and how a company does business.

112. Openers: Metrics and Micromanagement
     

     09 July, 2012 | The Conference Board Review

     Empathy—really understanding life on the front lines—may be the only way to change a culture of micromanagement. Executives who understand the real impact of constant assessment might think twice before adding to everyone else’s to-do list.

113. Our Brands, Ourselves: The power of attachment
     

     09 July, 2012 | The Conference Board Review

     As both marketers and consumers attach more meaning to brands, it's important to understand their context in society and business.

114. Board Asia Newsletter
     

     06 July, 2012 | Periodical

     Quarter Two 2012

115. China Center LEI Commentary: Accelerated bank lending supports LEI expansion in May
     

     04 July, 2012 | China Center Publications

     Interpretive Comments on The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) and The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) for China, May 2012 data

116. Conference Board Economics Watch^® - European View
     

     28 June, 2012 | Economics Watch Reports

     Outlook for Euro Area has become worse due to both increased financial turbulance related to banking crisis in Spain and elsewhere, and the implementation of austerity measures which represent a drag on economic growth.

117. No Company Is an Island: Building Resilient Communities
     

     28 June, 2012 | Executive Action Report

     A business is only as resilient as the communities in which it operates.

118. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Talent Management (Vol. 2, No. 1, 2012)
     

     27 June, 2012 | Human Capital in Review

     This publication is designed for the busy human capital executive who values selected and thoughtfully summarized article reviews of what is happening in the area of talent management.

119. Collaboration Between Multistakeholder Standards: A Governance Perspective
     

     26 June, 2012 | Director Notes

     This report examines the nature, benefits, and shortcomings of existing multistakeholder corporate social responsibility (CSR) standards, and it discusses how businesses can better coordinate their participation in a variety of initiatives.

120. Job Satisfaction: 2012 Edition
     

     26 June, 2012 | Research Report

     Respondents to the 2011 version of The Conference Board Job Satisfaction Survey indicated higher levels of job satisfaction for the first time since the recession began in 2008.

121. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
     

     22 June, 2012 | Economics Watch Reports

     Winter optimism faded this spring. Recent economic data and rising uncertainty signal that the moderate acceleration in is unlikely. U.S. faces an enormous yearend fiscal cliff, but temporary measures should help avoid a large economic contraction.

122. U.S. Salary Increase Budgets for 2013
     

     19 June, 2012 | Research Report

     Based on a sample of 316 companies, this edition of The Conference Board survey of U.S. salary increase budgets reveals a median increase of 3 percent, just like last year.

123. Strengthening the Weakest Link: Building Resilient Global Supply Chains
     

     18 June, 2012 | Executive Action Report

     Although the benefits of global supply chains have been significant, they have also made companies more vulnerable to disruptions.

124. Human Capital Challenges in Asia-Pacific, 2012–2013: Leadership Development and Succession Planning for the Global Leader
     

     18 June, 2012 | Executive Action Report

     A closer look at the strategies effective companies use for leadership development and succession planning.

125. 2012 Executive Coaching Conference KeyNotes Report
     

     15 June, 2012 | Conference KeyNotes

     For coaching efforts to succeed, they should be tied to leadership development programs and performance reviews. This step is especially important when developing high potentials, new managers, and young leaders.

126. China Center Data Flash: May data send mixed signals
     

     15 June, 2012 | China Center Publications

     Data Flash is a brief interpretive summary of China’s official monthly economic data release – June 2012 (May 2012 data)

127. CEO Succession Planning: Current Developments, Shareholder Activism, and Disclosure Practices
     

     12 June, 2012 | Director Notes

     This report examines recent governance developments in the area of CEO succession, including shareholder activism during the 2011 and 2012 proxy seasons, and current examples of corporate disclosure and policies.

128. Water Worries: How Incorporating Long-Term Risk into Strategic Planning Pays Off
     

     11 June, 2012 | Council Perspectives

     How companies manage risk, opportunity, and scarcity today will determine the long-term value they create for stakeholders and society, and the world’s dwindling water resources are a pivotal case in point.

129. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Strategic Workforce Planning (Vol. 2, No. 2, 2012)
     

     11 June, 2012 | Human Capital in Review

     The Human Capital in Review series is designed for the busy human capital executive who values filtered and thoughtfully summarized highlights of significant ideas, topics, research, and trends in strategic workforce planning.

130. Multiculturalism in a Post-9/11, Media-charged World
     

     07 June, 2012 | Council Perspectives

     The multicultural future of the United States is here, but, given the post-9/11 atmosphere of distrust and fear, businesses must work to foster the relationships that promote inclusiveness.

131. Giving in Numbers: 2012 Edition
     

     05 June, 2012 | Research Report

     How and how much do Fortune 500 companies donate? This report analyzes 2011 trends among 214 companies, including 62 of the top 100.

132. Senior HR Executive Conference KeyNotes Report
     

     04 June, 2012 | Conference KeyNotes

     As older workers are retiring and new technologies are emerging, many companies are having a difficult time filling jobs because job applicants and current employees often lack the necessary skills.

      

133. Employee Health Care Conference KeyNotes Report
     

     04 June, 2012 | Conference KeyNotes

     With many details of health care reform unknown or still to come, some companies have decided to focus on their long-term health care strategy rather than mere compliance.

134. Conference Board Economics Watch^® Emerging Markets View
     

     01 June, 2012 | Economics Watch Reports

     Emerging Market Growth to Gradually Slow in 2012, but Downside Risks Remain Strong

135. Total Factor Productivity among Cities in China: Estimation and Explanation
     

     01 June, 2012 | Economics Program Working Paper Series

     by Yan Xu and Shu Yu
     June 2012 - EPWP #12 – 01

136. Linking Executive Compensation to Sustainability Performance
     

     30 May, 2012 | Director Notes

     This report discusses efforts by some companies to incorporate sustainability performance into executive compensation schemes, and provides an overview of recent shareholder proposals filed on this topic.

137. Incredible Disappearing Office: Making Telework Work
     

     29 May, 2012 | Research Report

     We offer guidance for executives to start conversations internally about the value of telework and recommendations on how best to implement it.

138. Answering The Conference Board CEO Challenge® 2012: Innovation Leads, Uncertainty Lingers
     

     29 May, 2012 | Council Perspectives

     Is today’s C-suite taking full advantage of its organization’s quality executives and function as a way to answer its most pressing challenges?

139. Conference Board Human Capital in Review:™ Focus on Human Capital Analytics (Vol. 2 No. 1, 2012)
     

     25 May, 2012 | Human Capital in Review

     This issue looks at capabilities required for a successful analytics practice at the organization level as well as the specific skills and competencies required at the individual level.

140. China Center LEI Commentary: LEI expands moderately, but component volatility offers little certainty
     

     25 May, 2012 | China Center Publications

     Interpretive Comments on The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) and The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) for China, May 2012 (April 2012 data)

141. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
     

     22 May, 2012 | Economics Watch Reports

     Recent employment, income, and business investment data indicate that economic growth is poised to dip below 2 percent in the current quarter, but trends in the leading economic indicators suggest that growth will accelerate modestly in the second half.

142. Who's Afraid of the Cloud?
     

     22 May, 2012 | Executive Action Report

     This report spells out the benefits and pitfalls for midsize businesses of migrating data and IT operations to the cloud.

143. Issues in Intangibles, Vol.1 No. 2, Spring 2012
     

     21 May, 2012 | Periodical

     Intangible assets are key to competitiveness in the knowledge economy. In this edition of Intangibles Quarterly, Professor Baruch Lev discusses how a firm can keep effective records of intangible assets and how they may affect decision making.

144. 2012 Customer Experience Leadership Conference KeyNotes Report
     

     21 May, 2012 | Conference KeyNotes

     In an increasingly connected world, companies are in danger of overlooking the secret ingredient that makes for a good customer experience—the personal touch.

145. Supplier Diversity Value Proposition: What Every Organization’s Important Stakeholders Need to Know about Supplier Diversity
     

     21 May, 2012 | Council Perspectives

     In order to serve the needs of a changing customer base, companies should review and, if necessary, rejuvenate their supplier diversity programs.

146. Fostering Retirement and Financial Security in an Era of Individual Responsibility
     

     17 May, 2012 | Executive Action Report

     Individuals must assume more responsibility for the adequate funding of their retirement years. Enlightened companies are providing their employees with tools to help.

147. Global Supply Chain Labor Standards
     

     14 May, 2012 | Director Notes

     This report examines the adoption of supplier codes of conduct and supply chain labor policies; a framework for implementing supply chain sustainability programs, and media coverage, proxy voting guidelines and shareholder proposals related to this topic.

148. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Diversity & Inclusion (Vol. 2, No. 2, 2012)
     

     09 May, 2012 | Human Capital in Review

     The Human Capital in Review series is designed for the busy human capital executive who values filtered and thoughtfully summarized highlights of significant ideas, topics, research, and trends in diversity and inclusion.

149. Women on Boards: Review and Outlook
     

     02 May, 2012 | Director Notes

     This report examines the prevalence of women directors in the Fortune 1000 and an additional 1,000 midcap companies and offers recommendations for boards looking to recruit women directors and for women interested in serving on boards.

150. China Center LEI Commentary: Increased volatility will likely characterize the second quarter, just as it did the first
     

     28 April, 2012 | China Center Publications

     Interpretive Comments on The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) and The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) for China, April 2012 (March 2012 data)

151. Feeling the Pain: Wage Growth in the United States during and after the Great Recession
     

     26 April, 2012 | Executive Action Report

     This report analyzes the impact of the Great Recession on wage growth in the United States from several perspectives, and describes the different effects on the earnings of various demographic groups.

152. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
     

     25 April, 2012 | Economics Watch Reports

     Despite some recent weakening in the economic data, the U.S. economy remains poised to re-accelerate in the second half of 2012. This month, we also examine shifts in global manufacturing competitiveness.

153. Conference Board Economics Watch^® - European View
     

     24 April, 2012 | Economics Watch Reports

     The Euro Area economy has faced additional instability during the past month after Spain revised its deficit target. This month, we examine how events in Spain and elections in France are affecting our outlook for the Euro Area economy in 2012.

154. China Center Dataflash: Q1 growth rate masks underlying volatility
     

     23 April, 2012 | China Center Publications

     Dataflash is a brief interpretive summary of China’s official monthly economic data release – April 2012 (March 2012 data)

155. China’s 12th Five-Year Plan – Implications for Human Capital
     

     18 April, 2012 | China Center Publications

     China’s 12th Five Year Plan emphasizes the “human factor” in economic development more than any previous FYP. This China Center report distills out the plan’s implications for human capital practitioners and executives concerned about HC issues in China.

156. Proxy Season 2012: The Year of Pay for Performance
     

     16 April, 2012 | Director Notes

     This report discusses the analytics and issues around pay for performance and suggests ways to analyze P4P alignment, counter negative proxy adviser recommendations, and draft proxies to obtain support for pay programs.

157. CEO Succession Practices: 2012 Edition
     

     11 April, 2012 | Research Report

     In 2011, the average age of the incoming CEO in the S&P 500 was 51.9. Less than 5 percent of incoming CEOs were at least 62 years old.

158. Communication Patterns of Corporate Social Responsibility within and across Industries
     

     02 April, 2012 | Director Notes

     This report examines how American corporations collectively describe their corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities based on an analysis of data collected from 103 Fortune 500 websites.

159. Out of the West
     

     02 April, 2012 | The Conference Board Review

     Most future growth and innovation will be in developing countries—and according to Vijay Govindarajan, companies should waste no time setting up shop over there.

160. Flattened
     

     02 April, 2012 | The Conference Board Review

     We ask too much of middle managers; they deserve acknowledgment, respect, and relief.

161. All in the Family
     

     02 April, 2012 | The Conference Board Review

     To put Ford Motor Co. on the right track, CEO Alan Mulally needed to win over the Ford family.

162. HR: You're Doing It Wrong: Criminal, Past
     

     02 April, 2012 | The Conference Board Review

     TCB Review columnist Laurie Ruettimann observes that as many as a third of young workers have low-level criminal records—and she urges HR people to overlook those transgressions.

163. China Center LEI Commentary: Recent volatility in the LEI components underlines growing economic uncertainty
     

     01 April, 2012 | China Center Publications

     Interpretive Comments on The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) and The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) for China (February 2012 data)

164. Human Capital Challenges in Asia-Pacific 2011-2013: Aligning Employee Learning and Development with Performance Management
     

     30 March, 2012 | Executive Action Report

     A survey of human capital professionals in nine countries in Asia-Pacific identified learning and development and performance management as two of the most significant human capital challenges in the region. This report discusses how to address them.

165. 2011 Senior Corporate Communications Management Conference KeyNotes Report
     

     29 March, 2012 | Conference KeyNotes

     Communicators have become closer strategic partners with senior management as they work together to enable the organization to respond and adapt to rapid change.

166. Revisiting Japan a Year after the Earthquake: A Slower than Expected Recovery
     

     28 March, 2012 | Executive Action Report

     One year after the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, the country is still suffering the economic aftershocks.

167. Conference Board Economics Watch^® - European View
     

     27 March, 2012 | Economics Watch Reports

     Though the Euro Area economy appears to be stabilizing, elevated unit labor costs may impair the region’s growth prospects. This month, we examine labor costs, unemployment measures, and actions European countries are taking to become more competitive.

168. From Enron To Lehman Brothers: Lessons for Boards From Recent Corporate Governance Failures
     

     26 March, 2012 | Director Notes

     This report identifies common pitfalls in many current whistleblower and compliance policies and programs, and offers recommendations for audit committee on how to strengthen them.

169. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
     

     23 March, 2012 | Economics Watch Reports

     Cautiously Optimistic Outlook

170. Board Asia Newsletter
     

     21 March, 2012 | Periodical

     Quarter One 2012

171. Conference Board CEO Challenge^® 2012: Risky Business—Focusing on Innovation and Talent in a Volatile World
     

     20 March, 2012 | CEO Challenge®

     According to respondents to The Conference Board CEO Challenge®, the race to innovate and the war for talent are just two of the challenges of the current business
     landscape.

172. Human Capital Challenges in Asia-Pacific 2011-2013: Strong Brands and Clear Career Paths Help Companies Run the Talent Race
     

     20 March, 2012 | Executive Action Report

     Strong corporate branding and clear career paths for employees help companies to hire and keep talent in Asia-Pacific.

173. China Productivity: Labor Productivity by Ownership Type
     

     20 March, 2012 | China Center Publications

     This report measures China’s industry productivity by ownership type, comparing state-owned enterprises, privately owned domestic firms, foreign-invested firms, and smaller firms for the period of 1995-2009.

174. Recession Aftermath: What the Delayed Retirement of Mature Workers Means for Business
     

     20 March, 2012 | Executive Action Report

     Fallout from the recession of 2008-2009 has accelerated the trend toward delayed retirement in the United States, making it critical for organizations to manage their maturing workforces actively.

175. Managing the Conversation
     

     19 March, 2012 | Council Perspectives

     While branding has always been about shaping experiences, today, in the age of 24/7 communication and social media, the challenge has shifted from shaping the message to managing an active conversation.

176. 2012 Talent Management Strategies Conference KeyNotes Report
     

     16 March, 2012 | Conference KeyNotes

     When the C-suite gets seriously involved in talent planning, it is a good start. It’s even better when mid-level managers are taught to implement talent management tools and processes.

177. China Center Dataflash: February data point to weak first quarter
     

     16 March, 2012 | China Center Publications

     Dataflash is a brief interpretive summary of China’s official monthly economic data release – March 2012 (February 2012 data)

178. Influence of Proxy Advisory Firm Voting Recommendations on Say-on-Pay Votes and Executive Compensation Decisions
     

     12 March, 2012 | Director Notes

     This report examines evidence of the influence of proxy advisory firm voting recommendations on shareholder voting outcomes, particularly say-on-pay votes, and presents findings showing the impact of those firms on the design of executive pay programs.

179. China Center QuickNote: China’s Soft Side
     

     12 March, 2012 | China Center Publications

     Transitioning China to a consumption led economy is not just a matter of ratcheting down investment and stimulating consumption, and containing the vested interests that would work to block this path. Indeed, this is the relatively easy part.

180. 2011 Customer Loyalty Conference KeyNotes Report
     

     09 March, 2012 | Conference KeyNotes

     The keys to having loyal customers include knowing your customers personally, knowing what they want, and delivering it to them, sometimes before they even realize they want it.

181. China Center QuickNote: World Bank “China 2030” report – the calls mount for economic reform
     

     07 March, 2012 | China Center Publications

     In this QuickNote we examine some of the World Bank’s key findings, analyzing them alongside The Conference Board’s own research, and highlight areas of particular interest to China Center members.

182. China Center LEI Commentary: China LEI points to increasing uncertainty amidst continued gradual slowing of the economy
     

     06 March, 2012 | China Center Publications

     Interpretive Comments on The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) and The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) for China (January 2012 data)

183. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Diversity & Inclusion (Vol. 2, No. 1, 2012)
     

     01 March, 2012 | Human Capital in Review

     The Human Capital in Review series is designed for the busy human capital executive who values filtered and thoughtfully summarized highlights of significant ideas, topics, research, and trends in diversity and inclusion.

184. Prioritizing Your Corporate University’s Development
     

     29 February, 2012 | Executive Action Report

     An effective corporate university program can provide a competitive advantage.

185. Where Do SWP Leaders Come From?
     

     28 February, 2012 | Executive Action Report

     Conversations with strategic workforce planning (SWP) executives net insights about the skills and competencies needed to work in this field and the variety of paths that lead to careers as SWP leaders.

186. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Employee Engagement (Vol. 1, No. 1, 2012)
     

     27 February, 2012 | Human Capital in Review

     The Human Capital in Review series is designed for the busy human capital executive who values filtered and thoughtfully summarized highlights of significant ideas, topics, research, and trends in employee engagement.

187. Financial Reporting Challenges for 2012
     

     24 February, 2012 | Director Notes

     This report examines key messages and disclosure guidance issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission and Public Company Accounting Oversight Board to assist public company executives and directors in preparing and reviewing 2012 periodic reports.

188. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
     

     23 February, 2012 | Economics Watch Reports

     Increasing positive trends in the U.S. economy, but can they be sustained?

189. Conference Board Human Capital in Review™: Focus on Strategic Workforce Planning (Vol. 2, No. 1, 2012)
     

     21 February, 2012 | Human Capital in Review

     The Human Capital in Review series is designed for the busy human capital executive who values filtered and thoughtfully summarized highlights of significant ideas, topics, research, and trends in strategic workforce planning.

190. Executive Remuneration across Europe: A Handbook of Design, Disclosure, and Enforcement Rules
     

     21 February, 2012 | Book

     This comprehensive Handbook offers a detailed analysis of regulations in Europe regarding remuneration packages, and a comparison across national systems.

191. Conference Board Economics Watch^® - European View
     

     19 February, 2012 | Economics Watch Reports

     The ECB’s Longer-Term Refinancing Operations (LTROs) helped restore confidence. However, "troubled economies" must address structural and regulatory issues, which we address in this report.

192. 2011 Enterprise Risk Management Conference KeyNotes Report
     

     17 February, 2012 | Conference KeyNotes

     Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) is evolving beyond compliance to become a more integral part of strategy.

193. Issues in Intangibles, Vol. 1, No. 1
     

     16 February, 2012 | Periodical

     This first release in a new series from The Conference Board focuses on intangible assets—why they matter, how they are measured, and their importance to both national economies and individual firms.

194. China Center Dataflash: Beware of the Chinese New Year Effect
     

     16 February, 2012 | China Center Publications

     Dataflash is a brief interpretive summary of China’s official monthly economic data release – February 2012 (January 2012 data)

195. Way Forward: A Primer on Conducting an Independent Investigation
     

     10 February, 2012 | Director Notes

     Internal investigations are an essential response amid allegations of corporate misconduct. This report discusses steps corporate management should take upon learning of such allegations and the decisions that must be made during an investigation.

196. 2011 Human Capital Metrics Conference KeyNotes Report
     

     10 February, 2012 | Conference KeyNotes

     Using statistical, predictive analysis of its human capital is key to helping it create business strategy and make investment decisions.

197. 2011 Organization Design Conference KeyNotes Report
     

     09 February, 2012 | Conference KeyNotes

     The world is changing at a faster pace than ever. As a result, organizations are being forced to realign their focus and reinvent themselves with changing global landscapes, technologies, priorities, and customer needs.

198. Conference Board Economics Watch^® - European View
     

     27 January, 2012 | Economics Watch Reports

     The Euro Area looks to be in a mild recession

199. A Perfect Storm: Europe’s Looming Pension Crisis
     

     27 January, 2012 | Executive Action Report

     Europe’s pension crisis stems from three trends: benefits that are no longer supported by employee contributions, the recent recession, and Europe’s aging population.

200. Conference Board® Labor Markets in Review™: Vol. 2, No. 1
     

     26 January, 2012 | Periodical

     This periodical publication offers an expert perspective on the implications of current economic conditions on the labor market, with specific focus on the United States, Europe, and emerging markets.

201. Corporate Governance Practices for Initial Public Offerings in the United States
     

     25 January, 2012 | Director Notes

     This report examines the corporate governance practices of 50 U.S. companies at the time of their initial public offerings (IPOs) and finds that pressure to update governance practices at larger companies has had a limited effect on IPO-stage companies.

202. China Center LEI Commentary: Moderation in growth looks set to continue, despite the slight LEI uptick in December
     

     21 January, 2012 | China Center Publications

     Interpretive Comments on The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) and The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) for China. (December 2011 data)

203. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
     

     18 January, 2012 | Economics Watch Reports

     Caution, uncertainty, and volatility underscore 2012

204. Risk Oversight: Should Your Board Have a Separate Risk Committee?
     

     13 January, 2012 | Director Notes

     This report explores the question of whether the board of directors should establish a separate risk committee, including the factors it must consider, and provides examples to clarify the role and responsibility of a separate risk committee.

205. Expanded Liability in Unclaimed Property: Are States Going Too Far?
     

     11 January, 2012 | Council Perspectives

     Aggressive enforcement of unclaimed property laws, along with an expanded definition of what constitutes unclaimed property, is raising the risk profile for organizations.

206. Sweat the Small Stuff to Improve Your Business Forecasts
     

     09 January, 2012 | Executive Action Report

     While waiting for the clouds to part over worldwide economies, small and midsize businesses can do much to bring greater rigor to their short-term forecasts and eliminate costly errors.

207. 2011 Succession Management Conference KeyNotes Report
     

     06 January, 2012 | Conference KeyNotes

     Human resources leaders must make succession management a strategic priority and take the lead in the development of a corporate-wide approach.

208. Mismatch in the Boardroom
     

     02 January, 2012 | The Conference Board Review

     All too often, there’s a stature gap between the CEO and other directors, and that gap can seriously hinder boards’ effectiveness.

209. Still Squeezed: Austerity and inequality hold back the global economy
     

     02 January, 2012 | The Conference Board Review

     Bart van Ark, chief economist of The Conference Board, offers an analysis and forecast of the global economy for 2012.

210. Priorities vs. Time: How to regain control of your schedule—and your flow of information
     

     02 January, 2012 | The Conference Board Review

     No strategy will add hours to the workweek or the ability to work 24/7, and you can’t just offload half your key decisions to someone else. But the chances of success improve greatly with some rethinking of use of time and priorities.

211. Help Is Here: Today’s senior executive needs more than an assistant. He needs a chief of staff.
     

     02 January, 2012 | The Conference Board Review

     Increasingly, senior corporate executives understand the value in creating the position of chief of staff.

212. A New Order: When revamping your corporate culture, the first rule is to have fewer rules
     

     02 January, 2012 | The Conference Board Review

     To remain competitive, companies need to make the shift from “manager knows best” to “manager provides the tools and objectives and leaves people to achieve the results.”

2011

1. Constructing a Data Set on Labour Composition Change
   

   20 December, 2011 | Economics Program Working Paper Series

   by Boele Bonthuis
   December 2011 - EPWP #11 – 04

2. Using the Leading Credit Index^TM to Predict Turning Points in the U.S. Business Cycle
   

   20 December, 2011 | Economics Program Working Paper Series

   by Gad Levanon, Jean-Claude Manini, Ataman Ozyildirim, Brian Schaitkin, and Jennelyn Tanchua
   December 2011 - EPWP #11 – 05

3. Comprehensive Benchmark Revisions for The Conference Board Leading Economic Index^® for the United States
   

   20 December, 2011 | Economics Program Working Paper Series

   by Gad Levanon, Ataman Ozyildirim, Brian Schaitkin, and Justyna Zabinska
   December 2011 - EPWP #11 – 06

4. 2011 Corporate Security, Business Continuity, and Crisis Management Conference KeyNotes Report
   

   19 December, 2011 | Conference KeyNotes

   Companies need to expect and prepare for the unexpected. Risk mitigation and crisis planning are ongoing processes should include anticipating potential threats and practicing how to deal with certain crises.

5. On the Level: Strategic Workforce Planning from Micro to Macro
   

   19 December, 2011 | Executive Action Report

   Strategic workforce planning (SWP) can be deployed at an enterprise level to ensure that a company has the right people in place to execute business strategy. It can also be deployed at more micro or macro levels, depending on a company’s needs.

6. Ethics Issues and Programs: The Role of the Board
   

   19 December, 2011 | Research Report

   This report, which is the first released by The Conference Board since 2004 on the subject of director engagement with ethics issues, documents board efforts to deal with the broadening scope of their ethics responsibilities.

7. China Center QuickNote: Returning Home—the conception of the Asian RMB and capital market zone
   

   19 December, 2011 | China Center Publications

   By Ken DeWoskin – Senior Advisor and China CEO Council Program Director, The China Center for Economics and Business

8. Conference Board Human Capital in Review: Focus on Human Capital Analytics (Vol. 1, No. 1, 2011)
   

   14 December, 2011 | Human Capital in Review

   The Human Capital in Review series is designed for the busy human capital executive who values filtered and thoughtfully summarized highlights of significant ideas, topics, research, and trends in human capital analytics.

9. Activism and the Move toward Annual Director Elections
   

   12 December, 2011 | Director Notes

   This report documents the extent to which activism pushes corporations to implement annual elections and compares the influence different forms of activism.

10. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
    

    12 December, 2011 | Economics Watch Reports

    U.S. steps up while Europe slips

11. Europe’s Great Labor Market Divide
    

    05 December, 2011 | Executive Action Report

    The gulf between the haves and the have nots in Europe will likely continue to put stress on the future of European unity and trigger even more intense debate about the future of the Euro Area itself.

12. 2011 Future Leaders Conference KeyNotes Report
    

    01 December, 2011 | Conference KeyNotes

    For companies to remain competitive, they will need to develop young leaders early in their careers.

13. 2011 Executive Coaching Summit KeyNotes Report
    

    01 December, 2011 | Conference KeyNotes

    Corporations need to develop top talent that can provide global leadership. To meet these demands, organizations are using coaching to help their leaders achieve optimum performance.

14. Business and Sustainability in China: Company Responses to a National Priority
    

    01 December, 2011 | Research Report

    What actions are companies taking in China to support the country's sustainable development imperatives?

15. CEO Challenge Reflections: How Socio-Economic Change Is Shaping Business Sustainability in China
    

    29 November, 2011 | Executive Action Report

    For CEOs in China, the challenge of sustainability was ranked higher than anywhere else in the world. But how will business meet this challenge?

16. 2011 Corporate Contributions Report
    

    29 November, 2011 | Research Report

    This report is based on the 2011 edition of The Conference Board Corporate Contributions Survey, which gathered data on charitable contributions made by U.S.-based companies in FY2010.

17. Role of the Board in Accelerating the Adoption of Integrated Reporting
    

    28 November, 2011 | Director Notes

    This report examines the concept of integrated reporting and its current state of adoption around the globe.

18. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
    

    21 November, 2011 | Economics Watch Reports

    Economy on firmer footing, but sentiment still sour

19. Conference Board Human Capital in Review: Focus on Talent Management (Vol. 1, No. 2, 2011)
    

    18 November, 2011 | Human Capital in Review

    The Human Capital in Review series is designed for the busy human capital executive who values filtered and thoughtfully summarized highlights of significant ideas, topics, research, and trends in talent management.

20. A Hero Lies in You: CEOs Talk about Heroes and Mentors
    

    18 November, 2011 | Executive Action Report

    A series of interviews related to The Conference Board CEO Challenge® 2011 makes clear what is highest on the minds of CEOs. Here, they talk about the leaders who have inspired them—and who have served as cautionary figures.

21. Board Evaluation Process in the UK and Selected Continental European Countries
    

    16 November, 2011 | Council Perspectives

    This Council Perspectives examines the differences in practices and requirements between several European countries including the UK regarding board evaluations and individual committee evaluations, and includes samples.

22. Projecting Economic Growth with Growth Accounting Techniques: The Conference Board Global Economic Outlook 2012 Sources and Methods
    

    15 November, 2011 | Economics Program Working Paper Series

    by Vivian Chen, Ben Cheng, Gad Levanon, and Bart van Ark
    November 2011 - EPWP #11 – 07

23. Revisiting Justifications for Board Diversity
    

    10 November, 2011 | Director Notes

    This report examines empirical data on board diversity and finds that reliance on the business case has not translated into appreciable gains. As such, it suggests that moral and social rationales be reincorporated into strategies for advancing diversity.

24. StraightTalk^®
    Special Issue for All Members: Global Economic Outlook 2012
    

    08 November, 2011 | StraightTalk®

    From The Conference Board Chief Economist.

25. 2011 U.S. Director Compensation and Board Practices Report
    

    07 November, 2011 | Research Report

    This report analyzes findings from a 2011 survey of 334 companies issuing equity securities registered with the U.S. SEC and provides benchmarking information on the compensation awarded to individual board members in FY2010 and on board practices.

26. CEO Challenge Reflections: On the Record with Fred Keller
    

    04 November, 2011 | Executive Action Report

    As a follow-up to The Conference Board CEO Challenge™ 2011: Fueling Business Growth with Innovation and Talent and The Conference Board CEO Challenge 2011: Mid-Markets, Fred Keller—CEO of Mich.-based Cascade Engineering—shares his thoughts on the issues.

27. Strategic Workforce Planning Leader's Bookshelf
    

    03 November, 2011 | Research Report

    This report briefly describes more than 40 books and articles, and includes brief summaries and information on the topics covered including their level of complexity.

28. Role of the Board in Fraud Risk Management
    

    28 October, 2011 | Director Notes

    This report discusses the role of the board in requiring, overseeing, supporting, and evaluating their organization's fraud risk management program.

29. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
    

    28 October, 2011 | Economics Watch Reports

    Growth Still Stuck in the Slow Lane

30. Constructing a Price Deflator for R&D: Calculating the Price of Knowledge Investments as a Residual
    

    28 October, 2011 | Economics Program Working Paper Series

    by Carol Corrado, Peter Goodridge, and Jonathan Haskel
    October 2011 - EPWP #11 – 03

31. Conference Board Human Capital in Review: Focus on Diversity & Inclusion (Vol. 1, No. 1, 2011)
    

    27 October, 2011 | Human Capital in Review

    The Human Capital in Review series is designed for the busy human capital executive who values filtered and thoughtfully summarized highlights of significant ideas, topics, research, and trends in diversity and inclusion.

32. Linked World: How ICT is Transforming Societies, Cultures and Economies
    

    26 October, 2011 | Research Report

    This report is based on a two-year global research project with the Telefónica Foundation. It aggregates several studies on how information and communication technology has affected societies, economies, cultural relationships, and human interaction.

33. Preparedness in the Private Sector – 2011
    

    25 October, 2011 | Research Report

    This report is based on a survey of executives regarding their companies’ resilience planning and security planning. The survey asked about companies’ levels of physical security, IT security, business continuity, crisis management, and pandemic planning.

34. Excess Pay and the Dodd-Frank Clawback
    

    19 October, 2011 | Director Notes

    This report discusses excess pay’s cost to investors, explains why most existing clawbacks fall short of what Dodd–Frank is likely to require, and offers guidance for boards seeking to minimize excess pay not reached by Dodd–Frank.

35. Conference Board Human Capital in Review: Focus on Strategic Workforce Planning (Vol. 1, No. 1, 2011)
    

    17 October, 2011 | Human Capital in Review

    The Human Capital in Review series is designed for the busy human capital executive who values filtered and thoughtfully summarized highlights of significant ideas, topics, research, and trends in strategic workforce planning.

36. Conference Board Economics Watch^® - European View
    

    14 October, 2011 | Economics Watch Reports

    The Debt Crisis and the Risk Of Recession Are Reinforcing Each Other

37. Assessing Pay for Performance
    

    11 October, 2011 | Director Notes

    This report explores five interpretations of the “pay for performance” concept, presents a practical way to measure it, and offers questions for directors to consider to assess and improve pay for performance at their company.

38. Corporate Oversight and Stakeholder Lines of Defense
    

    11 October, 2011 | Executive Action Report

    Stakeholders are demanding improved oversight in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. This report presents a model for effective corporate oversight.

39. Human Capital in Asia-Pacific, 2011-2013
    

    07 October, 2011 | Executive Action Report

    Rapid growth in the Asia-Pacific region means that companies there are facing challenges in leadership development, talent acquisition, and retention.

40. CEO Challenge Reflections: Talent Matters
    

    07 October, 2011 | Executive Action Report

    While CEOs rank talent as a critical challenge to business success, there is disagreement among human capital professionals when it comes to the strategies that best manage and develop this crucial link in the growth chain.

41. Conference Board® Labor Markets in Review™: Vol. 1, No. 1
    

    04 October, 2011 | Periodical

    This periodical publication offers an expert perspective on the implications of current economic conditions on the labor market, with specific focus on the United States, Europe, and emerging markets.

42. Get Social: A Guide to Creating Your Company's Social Media Strategy
    

    03 October, 2011 | Executive Action Report

    Most organizations realize the importance of participating in social media but do not have a formal plan on how to make the most of it. This report discusses specifics and best practices for planning a social media strategy.

43. CEO Challenge Reflections: Social Media Goes to Work
    

    03 October, 2011 | Executive Action Report

    The implications of social media in the workplace—for product development, go-to-market strategies, customer relations, corporate branding, and recruiting—are enormous. Why then are so many senior executives reluctant to take the plunge?

44. Sustainability Matters: Why and How Corporate Boards Should Become Involved
    

    03 October, 2011 | Research Report

    This report highlights issues to consider when approaching the task of overseeing a sustainability strategy.

45. Getting to New and Improved
    

    03 October, 2011 | The Conference Board Review

    The science—yes, science—of innovation.

46. From Like to Love
    

    03 October, 2011 | The Conference Board Review

    According to Adrian Slywotzky, "very good" isn't good enough anymore—your product needs something extra.

47. Close the Door
    

    03 October, 2011 | The Conference Board Review

    What to do when an open-door policy generates too much openness?

48. Turf Wars: When rules set "my department" against "our company"
    

    03 October, 2011 | The Conference Board Review

    Parochialism is inevitable within an organization. Here's how to handle it.

49. Who Wants to Be a Manager?
    

    03 October, 2011 | The Conference Board Review

    Why we promote the wrong people and then complain when they fail.

50. Are You Too Young—or Too Old—to Be a CEO?
    

    03 October, 2011 | The Conference Board Review

    When looking for a new top executive, the assumption that direct prior experience in a comparable role is a prerequisite to success is just that—an assumption. It’s natural to first look for the obvious candidate, but evidence shows no advantage.

51. No More Year in Paris?
    

    03 October, 2011 | The Conference Board Review

    In today's corporate world, the traditional long-term international assignment is irrelevant.

52. Getting Past Stupid: Stephen Shapiro explains why efforts to stay ahead will often leave you behind.
    

    03 October, 2011 | The Conference Board Review

    Crowdsourcing consultant Stephen Shapiro argues that most of the things that companies do in the name of innovation actually destroy it.

53. A Closer Look: Reassessing executives' value in a changing economy
    

    03 October, 2011 | The Conference Board Review

    In this rocky economic landscape, those responsible for assessing and valuing C-suite talent are assessing candidates with fresh eyes.

54. Workspace: 9 to 5 is so last century
    

    03 October, 2011 | The Conference Board Review

    Columnist Alison Maitland argues that today's flexible work arrangements should not be mere employee perks.

55. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
    

    30 September, 2011 | Economics Watch Reports

    We are all in this together

56. Achieving Resilience: A Systems Approach
    

    30 September, 2011 | Executive Action Report

    A new approach to emergency preparedness is oriented toward systems and seeks resilience based on the realization that it is impossible to protect communities and organizations against crisis in a vacuum.

57. Achieving Resilience: Planning for Flexibility during Crisis
    

    30 September, 2011 | Executive Action Report

    Planning and preparation are as essential as ever, but now they must be flexible, incorporating the capacity to respond to unique developments in a crisis.

58. Achieving Resilience: Establishing Networks—Before the Crisis Comes
    

    30 September, 2011 | Executive Action Report

    Having a network in place in advance of a crisis can provide a critical boost to achieving resilience.

59. Conference Board CEO Challenge® 2011: Mid-Market
    

    27 September, 2011 | Research Report

    An analysis of the responses to the 2011 CEO Challenge survey from the 114 U.S. firms with revenues of under $1 billion.

60. Environmental, Health, Safety, and Sustainability Governance: What a Difference a Few Years Can Make
    

    26 September, 2011 | Council Perspectives

    The Chief Environment, Health, and Safety Officers’ Council survey results and analysis underscore a corporate shift of attention to sustainability as a source of business value.

61. 2011 U.S. Top Executive Compensation Report
    

    21 September, 2011 | Research Report

    This report examines salary, total cash compensation, total compensation, and the mix of compensation elements for the CEO and the five highest-paid executives for specific revenue and industry groups.

62. Volunteering- A New Training and Transition Tool
    

    20 September, 2011 | Executive Action Report

    Challenging times call for companies of all sizes to be more creative about how they do business, and how they inspire and motivate their employees.

63. SOP Drives Compensation Program Changes to Enhance Pay/Performance Link
    

    13 September, 2011 | Director Notes

    This report examines recent compensation program changes made by some Fortune 500 companies to enhance the link between pay and performance in preparation for their first say-on-pay votes, and provides recommendations for companies to consider.

64. U.S. Workers Are Delaying Retirement: Who and Why, and Implications for Businesses
    

    09 September, 2011 | Economics Program Working Paper Series

    by Gad Levanon and Ben Cheng, September 2011. - EPWP #11 – 02

65. HR: You're Doing It Wrong: The Culture Myth
    

    01 September, 2011 | The Conference Board Review

    Columnist Laurie Ruettimann makes the case that there's no such thing as a corporate culture.

66. On the Record with Stephanie Hickman Boyse
    

    25 August, 2011 | Executive Action Report

    Following The Conference Board CEO Challenge survey, a number of CEOs volunteered to go “on the record” with The Conference Board to share their thoughts and challenges in more depth. This is a Q&A with the CEO of Michigan-based Brazeway.

67. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
    

    23 August, 2011 | Economics Watch Reports

    Downgrade of U.S. Economic Growth

68. Since the Levees Broke: A Snapshot of New Orleans
    

    17 August, 2011 | Council Perspectives

    Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005, and in the years since, corporate contributions have tackled much more than rebuilding—they have also fostered innovation in the underlying issues of health care, education, poverty, and the environment.

69. Integrating Developing Countries into the Global Supply Chain
    

    16 August, 2011 | Executive Action Report

    Large and small developing countries have emerged as the new frontiers of the structural change ushered in by the rise of global production and supply networks.

70. Broadening the Base for Strategic Workforce Planning: The Value of Cross-Functional Partnerships
    

    16 August, 2011 | Executive Action Report

    What differentiates leaders who’ve made steady headway with their SWP programs? Often, it’s their ability to partner with other functions and, by doing so, to broaden the base of support for SWP.

71. China Center QuickNote: Planning for opportunities in the event of over-slowing in China
    

    08 August, 2011 | China Center Publications

    By David Hoffman, Vice President and Managing Director of The China Center

72. Making the Business Case for Corporate Philanthropy
    

    01 August, 2011 | Director Notes

    This report discusses the issues surrounding corporate philanthropy and provides practical recommendations to companies and boards for increasing the accountability and transparency of corporate giving programs.

73. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
    

    28 July, 2011 | Economics Watch Reports

    Hot temperatures, but cool economy

74. Engaging Business Leaders in Strategic Workforce Planning: A Guide to Effective Conversations
    

    25 July, 2011 | Executive Action Report

    This guide includes basic questions to drive the initial conversation between the strategic workforce planning (SWP) leader and business leaders.

75. A Closer Look at Negative Say-on-Pay Votes During the 2011 Proxy Season
    

    25 July, 2011 | Director Notes

    More than 2,200 Russell 3000 ® Index companies have held say-on-pay votes this annual meeting season. This report analyzes the results of votes held through June 17, 2011, across several metrics.

76. Employee Engagement in a VUCA World: A Review of Current Research and Its Implications
    

    12 July, 2011 | Research Report

    This report combines analysis of some of the most important employee engagement research of today and puts it into perspective for members.

77. Say on Pay in the 2011 Proxy Season: Lessons Learned and Coming Attractions for U.S. Public Companies
    

    12 July, 2011 | Director Notes

    This Director Notes reviews the results of the inaugural season of shareholder advisory votes under the Dodd-Frank Act through June 23, 2011 and offers recommendations for companies to consider in making their compensation and governance decisions.

78. Impact of ICT on Production of Goods and Services: Policy and Development of ICT—The Impact of Public and Regulatory Policy on ICT Sector Performance
    

    12 July, 2011 | Economics Program Working Paper Series

    by Raul L. Katz, July 2011. - ICTLinkedWorld #1

79. Impact of ICT on Production of Goods and Services: Mobile Communication and Social Capital in Korea and the U.S.— How Usage Patterns Predict Social, C
    

    12 July, 2011 | Economics Program Working Paper Series

    by Scott W. Campbell, Nojin Kwak and Richard Ling, July 2011. - ICTLinkedWorld #2

80. Impact of ICT on Production of Goods and Services: Who Captures the Benefits of ICT? The Case of Digital Books
    

    12 July, 2011 | Economics Program Working Paper Series

    by Janet Hao and Randall Weiss, July 2011. - ICTLinkedWorld #3

81. Towards Comprehensive Measurement of ICT’s Impact: Measuring the Impact of ICT on Health Care
    

    12 July, 2011 | Economics Program Working Paper Series

    by Robbin te Velde, Jesse Bos, and Reg Brennenraedts, July 2011. - ICTLinkedWorld #4

82. Impact of ICT on Production of Goods and Services: The Impact of ICT on the Geographic Distribution of Employment
    

    12 July, 2011 | Economics Program Working Paper Series

    by Vlad Manole and Randall Weiss, July 2011. - ICTLinkedWorld #5

83. Impact of ICT on Production of Goods and Services: The Global Broadband Bonus: Broadband Internet’s Impact on Seven Countries
    

    12 July, 2011 | Economics Program Working Paper Series

    by Shane Greenstein and Ryan McDevitt, July 2011. - ICTLinkedWorld #6

84. Impact of ICT on Production of Goods and Services: The Long Tail of Digital Exclusion — A Comparison Between the UK and Chile
    

    12 July, 2011 | Economics Program Working Paper Series

    by Ellen J. Helsper and Sergio Godoy-Etcheverry, July 2011. - ICTLinkedWorld #7

85. Impact of ICT on Production of Goods and Services: Measuring the Impact of ICT on Public Sector Performance
    

    12 July, 2011 | Economics Program Working Paper Series

    by Robbin te Velde, July 2011. - ICTLinkedWorld #8

86. Impact of ICT on Production of Goods and Services: Measuring the Impact of ICT on Education
    

    12 July, 2011 | Economics Program Working Paper Series

    by Cor-Jan Jager, Jesse Bos, and Robbin te Velde, July 2011. - ICTLinkedWorld #9

87. Impact of ICT on Production of Goods and Services: Towards Comprehensive Measurement of ICT’s Impact: Paying Attention to Society and Culture
    

    12 July, 2011 | Economics Program Working Paper Series

    by Katherine Schinasi and Ivy Schultz, July 2011. - ICTLinkedWorld #10

88. Managing Human Capital Risk
    

    11 July, 2011 | Research Report

    This report presents the results of a survey of 161 companies on the state of their human capital risk assessment and management in answer to five key questions.

89. 2011 CEO Succession Report
    

    11 July, 2011 | Research Report

    This report documents and analyzes succession events of chief executive officers (CEOs) of S&P 500 companies.

90. Change of Heart
    

    05 July, 2011 | The Conference Board Review

    Why is Wal-Mart going green? To save money—and because it’s afraid of teenage girls.

91. How Much Do You Know? Too Much and Not Enough
    

    01 July, 2011 | The Conference Board Review

    The most important thing that companies have learned in the past twenty years is that managing knowledge requires knowing more about both knowledge and management than a lot of big firms seem to know.

92. Embracing the Enemy: Why companies need to encourage whistleblowers, not fear them
    

    01 July, 2011 | The Conference Board Review

    Why do good corporations not try harder to search for and act on information about potential wrongdoing—before someone blows a whistle in public?

93. When a Whistleblower Makes the Call
    

    01 July, 2011 | The Conference Board Review

    The ways in which employers show whistleblowers their lack of appreciation.

94. Trouble with Directors
    

    01 July, 2011 | The Conference Board Review

    Neither inside nor outside directors can adequately represent shareholder interests.

95. What About the Rest of Us? Beyond CEO pay
    

    01 July, 2011 | The Conference Board Review

    When it comes to pay, CEO pay gets the lion's share of attention. How we pay all the other corporate executives says much more about issues of compensation.

96. First Customers
    

    01 July, 2011 | The Conference Board Review

    In a new market, you need to secure a foothold. World domination can come later.

97. Theory to Practice: The Mismeasure of Management
    

    01 July, 2011 | The Conference Board Review

    We require a more humbling recognition of the limits of what we can know.

98. Workspace: Unconscious Biases
    

    01 July, 2011 | The Conference Board Review

    Columnist Alison Maitland asks: How do you get senior executives to address the impact of their unconscious biases?

99. U.S. Salary Increase Budgets for 2012
    

    30 June, 2011 | Research Report

    The latest edition of The Conference Board survey of U.S. salary increase budgets found that these budgets will have a median increase of 3.00 percent in 2011.

100. It’s about Trust and Training: Examining Your Organization’s Internal Coaching Practice
     

     30 June, 2011 | Executive Action Report

     This report discusses ways in which an internal coaching program can provide a cost-effective approach for developing talent, as well as the potential obstacles to success posed by issues of training and trust.

101. Leading Outside—and Inside—the Lines
     

     30 June, 2011 | Executive Action Report

     Drawing on the work of Jon R. Katzenbach and Zia Khan, this Mid-Market Conversation Starter suggests ways in which informal networks can help address business problems.

102. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
     

     29 June, 2011 | Economics Watch Reports

     Scaling back growth expectations

103. SEC Enforcement Actions against Outside Directors Offer Reminder for Boards
     

     28 June, 2011 | Director Notes

     This report discusses recent cases in light of the SEC’s historical position on offenses by outside directors and offers recommendations for how board members can mitigate their risks.

104. Conference Board Human Capital in Review: Focus on Talent Management (Vol. 1, No. 1 2011)
     

     28 June, 2011 | Human Capital in Review

     This quarterly publication includes short summaries of important talent management research and articles for the busy human capital executive.

105. Conference Board Economics Watch^® - European View
     

     28 June, 2011 | Economics Watch Reports

     The 2011 GDP projection will prove easy to reach. Downside risks exist for 2012.

106. Sleepless in Delhi: What Keeps Indian HR Executives Awake at Night?
     

     27 June, 2011 | Executive Action Report

     India presents unique business challenges, challenges that a number of human resource executives in India were happy to discuss with The Conference Board.

107. Answering the 2011 CEO Challenge: Accelerating Growth through Quality
     

     13 June, 2011 | Council Perspectives

     This Council Perspective examines the role the quality function can play in meeting the top challenges identified in the latest edition of The Conference Board CEO Challenge™, an annual survey of top executives.

108. Performance 2011: Productivity, Employment, and Growth in the World's Economies
     

     07 June, 2011 | Research Report

     This report takes a detailed look at the drivers of output growth, comparing the contributions of labor productivity and employment across years and across more than 100 countries.

109. Business Case for Corporate Social Responsibility
     

     06 June, 2011 | Director Notes

     This report documents some of the potential bottom-line benefits to companies of being attentive to CSR: reducing cost and risk, gaining competitive advantage, developing and maintaining legitimacy and reputational capital, and achieving win-win outcomes

110. Outbound Mergers and Acquisitions by Indian Firms
     

     25 May, 2011 | Director Notes

     This report discusses the legal reforms implemented by the government to help facilitate overseas acquisitions by Indian firms, and the regulatory impediments that still exist to mergers and acquisitions by Indian firms.

111. It's Not Just Your Children's Facebook Anymore
     

     20 May, 2011 | Executive Action Report

     Companies that use social media to improve knowledge transfer will see employees benefit from more informed thinking, better ideas, and big steps forward in innovation.

112. U.S. Workers Delaying Retirement: What Businesses Can Learn from the Trends of Who, Where, and Why
     

     19 May, 2011 | Executive Action Report

     U.S. workers have been working longer and retiring later since the mid-1990s, but the Great Recession has put even greater pressure on workers to stay on the job.

113. Does CEO Education Matter?
     

     17 May, 2011 | Director Notes

     This report analyzes data on the education of 1,800 individuals who served as CEOs of Standard & Poor’s Composite 1500 companies to determine the effect of education on CEO turnover and firm performance.

114. Corporate Governance and Business Preparedness
     

     16 May, 2011 | Key Findings

     A survey of The Conference Board paints a detailed picture of how businesses are balancing security, business continuity, and operational risk management as part of governance.

115. Where Are the Jobs?
     

     05 May, 2011 | Executive Action Report

     Twenty-one months into the recovery, the U.S. economy has failed to add any jobs despite economic growth.

116. Board Asia Newsletter
     

     04 May, 2011 | Periodical

     Quarter Four 2010

117. Role of CFOs in Material Accounting Manipulations
     

     04 May, 2011 | Director Notes

     This report investigates the factors that may lead a CFO to engage in accounting manipulations.

118. Strategic Workforce Planning Quarterly (Vol 3 Q1, 2011)
     

     29 April, 2011 | Strategic Workforce Planning in Review

     This publication explores hot topics within strategic workforce planning research. This issue includes articles on: global talent shortages, regional human capital risk, applying SWP in governments, and best-in-class business intelligence.

119. Supplier Diversity: Helping to Enhance the Corporate Brand
     

     28 April, 2011 | Council Perspectives

     This Council Perspectives points out how supplier diversity can create a competitive advantage for an organization and encourages leaders to think beyond the function’s traditional role.

120. Competitive Intelligence: A Critical Tool for Innovation
     

     28 April, 2011 | Council Perspectives

     The “next big thing” could hit at any time and revolutionize your industry, leaving you with outdated products, processes, partners, and business models. Competitive intelligence (CI) can provide critical insights into what your competitors are doing.

121. Assessing the Risks of an Economic Downturn in Japan
     

     28 April, 2011 | Executive Action Report

     The earthquakes, tsunami, and nuclear disaster in Japan will undoubtedly have a negative effect on Japan’s economy, but there is more to the story.

122. Building Sustainable Integrity into Organizational Strategy and Operations
     

     25 April, 2011 | Executive Action Report

     To protect a company's integrity, there must be a strong ethics, compliance, and integrity program in place—one that is fully integrated into the organization’s mission, strategy, and operations.

123. HR in Asia: Priorities in Compensation and Benefits
     

     22 April, 2011 | Council Perspectives

     Global, standardized compensation and benefit programs help companies achieve consistency and convenience. But companies must strike a balance by delivering programs that are also responsive to the varying needs of their far-flung business units.

124. CEO Challenge 2011: Fueling Business Growth with Innovation and Talent Development
     

     12 April, 2011 | CEO Challenge®

     This year’s report is entirely new and features a fully revised and condensed set of 10 overall challenges (down from 84 in previous surveys) and a more in-depth strategy section that highlights the need for clear organizational alignment, teamwork, and s

125. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
     

     12 April, 2011 | Economics Watch Reports

     U.S. economy to resume moderate growth

126. Bouncing Back: How Companies Approach Resilience
     

     06 April, 2011 | Research Report

     This report seeks to better grasp the application of resilience to business preparedness.

127. Measuring the Effects of Corporate Social Responsibility
     

     06 April, 2011 | Director Notes

     This report discusses a model for measuring the efficient and effective use of corporate resources allocated to CSR activities.

128. Conference Board Economics Watch^® China View
     

     01 April, 2011 | Economics Watch Reports

     Tighter credit and weak consumer confidence, both reactions to high inflation, will probably create a drag on growth for Chinese economy in 2011.

129. What's the Story?
     

     01 April, 2011 | The Conference Board Review

     Narrative, character, drama—Peter Guber knows how to get your attention.

130. Sun Still Rises
     

     01 April, 2011 | The Conference Board Review

     Japan Inc. is dead. Long live the art of Japanese management.

131. China Productivity Quarterly
     

     01 April, 2011 | China Center Publications

     This China Center report is the first in a regular series of productivity reports on China from The Conference Board. Our intention is to gradually “peel the onion” on productivity measurement and business issues in China.

132. In Sickness and in Health: Do companies care about their employees' well-being?
     

     01 April, 2011 | The Conference Board Review

     Employers design wellness initiatives to enhance organizational performance and lower costs. Worker well-being is a side effect.

133. Worst Part of the Job
     

     01 April, 2011 | The Conference Board Review

     No one wants to fire people. That's why managers do it so badly.

134. Science, Philosophy, and Faith: The essence of management is knowing when to apply each.
     

     01 April, 2011 | The Conference Board Review

     When deciding an issue, all too often the critical discussion is not, “What are the facts?” (science) or, “What do you believe?” (faith) but, “What are your premises?”

135. 27 at Heart: Why Gen Yers shouldn’t write off their boomer co-workers.
     

     01 April, 2011 | The Conference Board Review

     Gen Yers need to get used to the idea of working with a whole lot of people who could be their parents or even grandparents.

136. HR: You're Doing It Wrong: Looking for Leaders
     

     01 April, 2011 | The Conference Board Review

     Not enough HR professionals or senior executives are challenging the status quo by asking whether there really is a skills gap and a leadership deficiency in the global workforce.

137. Communication Capital, Metcalfe’s Law, and U.S. Productivity Growth
     

     31 March, 2011 | Economics Program Working Paper Series

     by Carol Corrado, March 2011. - EPWP #11 – 01

138. What Board Members Should Know About Communicating CSR
     

     23 March, 2011 | Director Notes

     This report discusses what to communicate (i.e., message content) and where (i.e., message channel), as well as the major factors (internal and external to the organization) that affect the effectiveness of corporate social responsibility communication.

139. Poison Pills in 2011
     

     17 March, 2011 | Director Notes

     This report discusses new trends and provides guidance to boards considering whether to adopt a pill and how to formulate its terms.

140. Corporate Governance and Business Preparedness
     

     17 March, 2011 | Research Report

     A survey of The Conference Board paints a detailed picture of how businesses are balancing security, business continuity, and operational risk management as part of governance.

141. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
     

     08 March, 2011 | Economics Watch Reports

     U.S. economy continues on a firmer path of expansion

142. Conference Board Economics Watch^® China View
     

     25 February, 2011 | Economics Watch Reports

     China’s strong growth continues but inflation fears are sparking monetary policy action.

143. Professionalization of Shareholder Activism in France
     

     23 February, 2011 | Director Notes

     This report summarizes notable activism developments in France and examines the phenomenon of professionalization with two recent examples: the Suez-Gaz de France and the Atos Origin cases.

144. Managing Brands in a Topsy-Turvy Marketing Environment
     

     17 February, 2011 | Executive Action Report

     To create excitement for a new brand, or refresh a tired brand, bring together networks of satisfied customers and user groups to share their experiences and generate word-of-mouth.

145. Investing in CSR to Enhance Customer Value
     

     15 February, 2011 | Director Notes

     This report, which is based on the analysis of 163 articles from the most relevant empirical literature on the subject, offers a number of practical recommendations to business leaders embarking in CSR programs for their companies.

146. Converging Physical and Information Security Risk Management
     

     15 February, 2011 | Executive Action Report

     Traditionally, physical and information security have operated in their own silos with separate teams and different risks, processes, and budgets. But risks and threats are evolving and becoming interdependent. As new technologies are adopted in the workp

147. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
     

     09 February, 2011 | Economics Watch Reports

     Can short-term economic momentum be maintained in the face of strong headwinds?

148. Strategic Workforce Planning Quarterly (Vol 2 Q4, 2010)
     

     08 February, 2011 | Strategic Workforce Planning in Review

     This publication explores hot topics within strategic workforce planning research. This issue includes articles on: creating SWP plans, choosing software, human capital risk, and applying supply chain principles, among others.

149. Great Recession and Household Savings
     

     07 February, 2011 | Executive Action Report

     During recessions or other periods of economic weakness, when any engine of growth is needed, an increase in the household saving rate could slow the pace of recovery. So what will happen to the saving rate in this critical recovery period?

150. Employers and U.S. Public Education – Facilitating an Open Discussion about the Role of Business in U.S. Public Schools
     

     04 February, 2011 | Council Perspectives

     A guide to be used by employers to discuss with employees why they invest in education and how employees can engage in those programs as well as become better consumers of education.
     Program Inventory 

151. Responding to Hurricanes: Lessons for Emergency Preparedness
     

     03 February, 2011 | Executive Action Report

     This Executive Action includes issues and checklists for companies who are preparing their own response plans.

152. Giving the Working Poor a Working Chance
     

     02 February, 2011 | Council Perspectives

     How can business and the world’s corporations help efforts to alleviate global poverty? And what is the rationale for getting involved?

153. Connecting to Customers
     

     02 February, 2011 | The Conference Board Review

     Corporate leaders too often keep their distance from the people that are the most important.

154. Right-Sizing Your Board of Directors—A Mid-Market Challenge
     

     28 January, 2011 | Executive Action Report

155. Innovation and Intangible Assets Gaining the Competitive Edge in Economic Recovery
     

     26 January, 2011 | Executive Action Report

     Intangible assets drive innovation and contribute much to a firm’s and a country’s competitive edge in the knowledge economy. It is time for a fresh look at how businesses look at these critical assets.

156. Risk Oversight Practices: Two Success Stories
     

     24 January, 2011 | Director Notes

     This report explains how strong alignment of risk understanding and support from the board has been crucial to each company’s performance in challenging times.

157. Taking Offshoring to the Next Level: The 2009 Offshoring Research Network Corporate Client Survey Report
     

     19 January, 2011 | Research Report

     This report provides an overview of how the practices associated with various forms of outside sourcing have changed over time. For example, it offers evidence of how companies that offshore innovation practices are no longer driven by cost cutting, but b

158. Some Thoughts for Boards of Directors in 2011
     

     14 January, 2011 | Director Notes

     This report highlights a few of the more notable corporate governance issues that boards will face in 2011.

159. Conference Board Economics Watch^® United States View
     

     11 January, 2011 | Economics Watch Reports

     Stimulus will boost economic growth in 2011, but will it carry through to 2012?

160. Lean Six Sigma: Improving Performance of Business Support Functions and Services
     

     06 January, 2011 | Executive Action Report

     This report outlines the application of Lean Six Sigma for enhancing organizational effectiveness and making fact-based decisions that improve customer satisfaction

161. Watch What You Say!
     

     03 January, 2011 | The Conference Board Review

     Business talk communicates less than you want—and more than you mean.

162. Mismeasure of Work
     

     03 January, 2011 | The Conference Board Review

     Where performance metrics go wrong.

163. There's a Price to Pay
     

     03 January, 2011 | The Conference Board Review

     Eduardo Porter delves into the price of labor, happiness, products, even life.

2010

1. Board Asia Newsletter
   

   23 December, 2010 | Periodical

   Quarter Three 2010

2. E-Proxy Reform, Activism, and the Decline in Retail Shareholder Voting
   

   23 December, 2010 | Director Notes

   This report explores issues that have arisen since the introduction of the new electronic forms of delivering voting materials: the observed shareholder response-rate decline and the impact on activism.

3. A Brief Overview of Corporate Governance Reforms in India
   

   16 December, 2010 | Director Notes

   It remains to be seen whether India’s recent voluntary corporate governance measures will become mandatory for all companies through a revision of the Companies Act.

4. Escaping the Sovereign-Debt Crisis: Productivity-Driven Growth and Moderate Spending May Offer a Way Out
   

   14 December, 2010 | Executive Action Report

   Sovereign debt and fiscal deficits are strangling many advanced economies. Policy choices are complex, but there is an escape strategy that does not require draconian budget cuts or risky debt-financed stimulus spending.

5. Private Ordering and Proxy Access Rules: The Case for Prompt Attention
   

   09 December, 2010 | Director Notes

   This report focuses on advance-notice bylaws, director qualification bylaws (such as those setting age standards, term limits, or stock ownership requirements), conduct-of-meeting bylaws, and nominating committee charters.

6. Good Execution Isn't Just Stuff Leaders Delegate
   

   01 December, 2010 | Executive Action Report

   Many CEOs rate consistent execution of their firms' strategic objectives as a major concern. This report examines five critical requirements for good execution that can help CEOs achieve the results they expect.

7. Pay vs. Performance Disclosure: The Case for Prompt Attention
   

   30 November, 2010 | Director Notes

   The subject of pay versus performance disclosure is expected to take center stage in the upcoming proxy season. This report discusses the issues on which board members should promptly focus their attention.

8. Under Pressure: The Widening Wage Gap between China's Haves and Have-Nots
   

   19 November, 2010 | Executive Action Report

   Will soaring wages and protesting workers eventually erode one of China's most prominent global economic advantages—its low labor costs?

9. 2010 U.S. Top Executive Compensation Report
   

   16 November, 2010 | Research Report

   This report examines salary, total cash compensation, total compensation, and the mix of compensation elements for the CEO and the five highest-paid executives for specific revenue and industry groups.

10. 2010 U.S. Top Executive Compensation Report
    

    16 November, 2010 | Key Findings

    This report examines salary, total cash compensation, total compensation, and the mix of compensation elements for the CEO and the five highest-paid executives for specific revenue and industry groups.

11. Does Your Company Encourage Good Followership?
    

    16 November, 2010 | Executive Action Report

    It may no longer be an insult to be called a great follower. What can organizations do to foster the right attitudes and skills?

12. 2010 Institutional Investment Report: Trends in Asset Allocation and Portfolio Composition
    

    11 November, 2010 | Research Report

    The annual Institutional Investment report provides a comprehensive analysis of the asset growth and portfolio composition of institutional investors operating in the United States.

13. Time to Step Up: Challenges and Opportunities Facing Talent Management
    

    11 November, 2010 | Council Perspectives

    This report looks at the opportunities and challenges facing the future of talent management and addresses four basic concerns that go the heart of the talent management function's future.

14. Leadership as Performance Art
    

    09 November, 2010 | Executive Action Report

    While acting skills are sometimes useful for leaders of companies, there can be no excuse for dissembling on important cultural values.

15. A Strategic Approach to Growing Talent for Succession
    

    08 November, 2010 | Executive Action Report

    This report describes the fundamentals of a successful GTFS (growing talent for succession) culture, and the basic questions companies must ask as they initiate a GTFS plan.

16. Preparing for the 2011 Proxy Season
    

    08 November, 2010 | Director Notes

    This report discusses the major likely characteristics of the 2011 proxy season as well as a number of practical recommendations to help boards take charge of corporate governance, improve communications, and manage relations with shareholders.

17. Best Practices in Managing Information Vendor Portfolios
    

    05 November, 2010 | Council Perspectives

    This council perspective outlines a set of best practices to help content managers ensure the organization gets the best value for its investment in licensed information resources.

18. Corporate Misconduct and the Market for Directorships
    

    04 November, 2010 | Director Notes

    This report analyzes the changes in directorships held by outside board members of 113 public companies involved in a shareholder class-action lawsuit alleging the misrepresentation of information to investors.

19. Strategic Workforce Planning Quarterly (Vol 2 Q3, 2010)
    

    02 November, 2010 | Strategic Workforce Planning in Review

    This publication explores hot topics within strategic workforce planning research. This issue includes articles on: post-recession scenario planning, contingent workforce strategy, analytical tools, getting buy-in for analytics, and dashboard design.

20. Handbook on Corporate Political Activity: Emerging Corporate Governance Issues
    

    01 November, 2010 | Book

    This handbook offers an overview of the legal rules and standard practices related to political activity, as well as a discussion of internal oversight of political spending.

21. Preparedness in the Private Sector - 2010
    

    20 October, 2010 | Research Report

    This report analyzes the findings of a 2010 survey on business security, and compares them to findings from prior surveys in 2007 and 2009. In 2010 a component to measure integration of the security function with enterprise risk management was added.

22. Preparedness in the Private Sector - 2010
    

    20 October, 2010 | Key Findings

    This report analyzes the findings of a 2010 survey on business security, and compares them to findings from prior surveys in 2007 and 2009. In 2010 a component to measure integration of the security function with enterprise risk management was added.

23. Go Where There Be Dragons
    

    19 October, 2010 | Council Perspectives

    This report draws from the wisdom of 100+ executives on seven of The Conference Board Councils in Europe, the United States and Asia to define the global forces that are redefining the structure of leadership.

24. Growing Talent for Succession
    

    19 October, 2010 | Research Report

    This report is a playbook that explains how every business can lay the foundation for a growing talent (GT) plan.

25. 2010 U.S. Directors' Compensation and Board Practices Report
    

    18 October, 2010 | Research Report

    The 2010 U.S. Directors’ Compensation and Board Practices Report analyzes findings from a survey of 279 corporate secretaries administered by The Conference Board in May and June 2010.

26. Security and Privacy in Cloud Computing
    The European Regulatory Approach
    

    18 October, 2010 | Executive Action Report

    Analysts estimate that by 2012 the size of the enterprise cloud computing business may reach $80 billion—about 10 percent of the global information technology service and enterprise software market. Despite the benefits expected from this innovation, comp

27. Retaining Former CEOs on the Board
    

    05 October, 2010 | Director Notes

    What are the costs and benefits of retaining the former CEO on the board? This Director Notes discusses findings from an analysis of the determinants of the company's decision to offer board membership to the departing CEO.

28. India’s Demographic Transition: Boon or Bane? A State-Level Perspective
    

    30 September, 2010 | Economics Program Working Paper Series

    by Utsav Kumar
    September 2010 - EPWP #10 – 03

29. Closing the Gender Gap: A European Perspective on New Approaches to Women’s Leadership
    

    24 September, 2010 | Executive Action Report

    Women account for only about 10 percent of board directors in Europe’s top 300 companies and more than two-thirds of the 101 largest firms have no women on their executive committees. With voluntary measures to close the gender gap making little progress,

30. Treating Contingent Workers as a Strategic Resource
    

    16 September, 2010 | Executive Action Report

    While the use of temporary help of all kinds has increased, many companies do not have a centralized framework to make the most cost-efficient and strategic use of this new workforce.

31. Risk Oversight Practices: Insights from Corporate Directors
    

    14 September, 2010 | Director Notes

    This survey based report highlights a set of concrete emerging best practices for Risk Oversight.

32. Role of the Board in Risk Oversight
    

    23 August, 2010 | Director Notes

    This is the first in a series of four studies developed in collaboration with Davis Polk & Wardwell to provide guidelines and examples to member companies of The Conference Board on emerging practices following the SEC enhanced disclosure reform.

33. Board Leadership Structure
    

    23 August, 2010 | Director Notes

    This Director Notes is the second in a series of four studies developed in collaboration with Davis Polk & Wardwell to provide guidelines and examples to member companies of The Conference Board on emerging practices following the SEC enhanced disclosure

34. Board Diversity and Director Qualifications
    

    23 August, 2010 | Director Notes

    This is the third in a series of four studies developed in collaboration with Davis Polk & Wardwell to provide guidelines and examples to member companies of The Conference Board on emerging practices following the SEC enhanced disclosure reform.

35. Compensation-Related Risk and Compensation Consultants
    

    23 August, 2010 | Director Notes

    This is the last in a series of four studies developed in collaboration with Davis Polk & Wardwell to provide guidelines and examples to member companies of The Conference Board on emerging practices following the SEC enhanced disclosure reform.

36. Mind the Gap: Overcoming Organisational Barriers to Develop Inclusive Leaders
    

    23 August, 2010 | Council Perspectives

    This report looks at the challenges Diversity and Inclusion (D&I),Talent Management, and Leadership Development professionals face in creating a corporate culture that embraces D&I as a core leadership trait, one that permeates functions and business unit

37. Fitting the Work to the Worker: Recruiting, Engaging, and Retaining Employees with Disabilities
    

    19 August, 2010 | Executive Action Report

    This year is the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. What are the barriers to and benefits of hiring and retaining people with disabilities?

38. Goals and Incentives for a New Day
    

    17 August, 2010 | Executive Action Report

    With resources scarce and the future uncertain, small and midsize companies are taking advantage of the business lull in 2010 to reset their goals and incentive-reward systems.

39. Opening up to Open Innovation
    

    17 August, 2010 | Executive Action Report

    This new Conversation Starter by Howard Muson continues a series of discussions that we have commissioned about the nature of innovation in small- and mid-market firms

40. Strategic Workforce Planning Quarterly (Vol 2 Q2, 2010)
    

    16 August, 2010 | Strategic Workforce Planning in Review

    This publication explores hot topics within strategic workforce planning research. This issue includes articles on: SWP at Astra Zeneca, Westpac, and IBM; SWP integration; regional workforce planning; and analytics software.

41. When the Supply Chain Snaps
    

    02 August, 2010 | The Conference Board Review

    How Cisco started to get things right after things weren't right from the start.

42. Setting Strategy for Pensions in the U.S. — Tough Choices and No Easy Answers
    

    22 July, 2010 | Executive Action Report

    This report, based on discussions at The Conference Board Retirement Roundtable “Sharing Responsibility for Assuring Long-Term Retirement Security” looks at the factors influencing benefit decisions, examines the challenge of making individual responsibil

43. On the Selection of Leading Economic Indicators for China
    

    15 July, 2010 | Economics Program Working Paper Series

    by Bill Adams, Pieter Bottelier, Ataman Ozyildirim, Jing Sima-Friedman, May 2010. - EPWP #10 – 02

44. Is Age Really Just a Number? Investigating Approaches to Employee Engagement
    

    15 July, 2010 | Research Report

    Regardless of whether there are too few people or too few jobs, one thing doesn’t change: the need to recruit and retain talent that distinguishes an organization.

45. Is Age Really Just a Number? Investigating Approaches to Employee Engagement
    

    15 July, 2010 | Key Findings

    To be any good at all, an employee engagement strategy has to capture the real concerns of employees.

46. Know Your Shareholders: The Use of Cash-Settled Equity Derivatives to Hide Corporate Ownership Interests
    

    14 July, 2010 | Director Notes

    Regulators across Europe are increasingly aware of the effects of hidden ownership, where investors use cash-settled equity derivatives to eschew disclosure rules while building up stakes in public corporations.

47. U.S. Salary Increase Budgets for 2011
    

    13 July, 2010 | Research Report

    U.S. salary increase budgets remain historically low—for the second straight year the median increase is 2.5 percent.

48. Failure Imperative
    

    05 July, 2010 | The Conference Board Review

    How to build trust by forgiving mistakes.

49. Worst Thing About Best Practices
    

    01 July, 2010 | The Conference Board Review

    Companies should look to others' best practices only as a last resort, not as a first idea.

50. Risk and Security in Corporate Supply Chain Networks: Moving From Operational to Strategic Concern
    

    22 June, 2010 | Executive Action Report

    Supply chain risk management is a critical strategic activity that should take center stage in the decision making of any corporation

51. Sustainability in the Boardroom
    

    10 June, 2010 | Director Notes

    Despite formal assignment of responsibilities to top business leaders, many companies still lack the structural framework to enable proper director oversight of corporate sustainability.

52. Euro Area: Looking Through the Turbulence in Financial Markets
    

    07 June, 2010 | Executive Action Report

    Despite the overwhelming sense of crisis in the Euro Area, recovery from the global recession is still underway.

53. Supply Chain Benchmarking: Process and Methodology
    

    01 June, 2010 | Council Perspectives

    Supply chain operations within an organization should be constantly reviewed to identify where improvements can be made.

54. Harnessing the Power Within: Using Your Employees to Help Deliver the Brand Promise
    

    27 May, 2010 | Executive Action Report

    This report discusses how creating an internal branding model will help employees understand and connect to your core brand, then communicate that brand message to your customers.

55. Examining the Impact of SEC Guidance Changes on CEO Succession Planning
    

    29 April, 2010 | Director Notes

    In late 2009, the SEC made a policy change that effectively removes the defense used by companies reluctant to disclose their CEO succession process to shareholders. The change means a new wave of corporate governance scrutiny.

56. A New Era in Global Anti-Corruption: Governments Get Serious about Enforcement
    

    14 April, 2010 | Executive Action Report

    The year 2010 has seen a surge in FCPA enforcement, producing a buzz among corporate executives that the old ways of doing business with “a wink and a nod” are over.

57. Investor Engagement in Europe in the Wake of the Shareholder Rights Directive Implementation
    

    07 April, 2010 | Director Notes

    This report briefly outlines major governance issues that, in light of the new legal and economic environment, the boards of European public companies should consider, especially in connection with their general meetings.

58. Role of Competitive Intelligence in Driving Growth