A History of Big Ideas

Some of the most powerful and lasting management methods were launched during tough times, when companies needed new ways to manage costs and grow. Here is a look back at some of the biggest ideas over the past 100 years.

Data Mining Moves to Human Resources

Using sophisticated mathematics, HR departments are learning new ways to determine the value of each employee

Smart Management for Tough Times

Breakthrough management ideas for a world in which the game will never be the same

 We have organized these ideas into the three areas we believe reflect top priorities for business right now—strategies for driving growth, methods for managing talent, and ideas for improving relationships with customers and suppliers. We profile game-changing managers—the people making an impact with radical ideas. And we highlight blue-sky concepts that might one day alter how business is done.

Reading the Body Language of Leadership

Researchers at MIT are focusing the latest sensor technology on the physical traits of leadership

While MIT's methods are beyond the technical range of most companies, the science of human behavior is becoming more accessible to everyone. A host of everyday technologies from Web cams to corporate IDs with radio tags can provide ever richer behavioral data. Companies may soon be able to size up both employees and job applicants—not only by experience and skills but also by the nature of their inner ape.