A live branch for rebuilt McKinsey weekly report pages under Core Outputs of Financial Systems.
Precious metals rally amid market volatility
April 9, 2026
As global economic uncertainty persists, stock markets have wavered, and investors are seeking stability in traditional safe havens.
Economic optimism fades
April 8, 2026
Executive optimism about the global economy, which had been on an upward trend, reversed sharply in late February.
Building the AI-powered organization
April 7, 2026
Three tectonic forces are reshaping organizations, according to McKinsey’s latest research.
Computing to propel chip boom
April 2, 2026
The global semiconductor market is on a trajectory to more than double in size, potentially reaching a value of $1.6 trillion by 2030.
Cutting back on quick bites
April 1, 2026
Amid persistent inflation and economic uncertainty, diners in the United States are planning to pull back on spending at quick-service restaurants in the coming months.
A new dose for pharmacies
March 31, 2026
Retail pharmacies are under mounting pressure that has led to bankruptcies and store closures.
The Americas lead global trade deals
March 26, 2026
The Americas led cross-regional trade deals in 2025, accounting for 16 of the world’s 20 largest deals.
M&A momentum returns across sectors
March 25, 2026
M&A is regaining momentum across industries, with bigger, more targeted bets.
Megadeals propel M&A activity
March 24, 2026
Global M&A activity soared in late 2025 despite the number of deals remaining flat.
Uneven emissions trends
March 19, 2026
The world is not yet on track to meet 2030 or 2050 decarbonization goals.
Powering AI with brain capital
March 18, 2026
In the AI era, advantage will hinge on how well we combine human and machine strengths.
PE deal dip but bigger buyouts
March 17, 2026
After a few years of muted deal activity and fundraising, 2025 saw a meaningful rebound in global private equity deal value.
AI meets M&A
March 12, 2026
Gen AI is no longer just theoretical in M&A.
Clinical trials without borders
March 11, 2026
The biopharmaceutical industry is at a pivotal moment.
Anchoring maritime talent
March 10, 2026
The US shipbuilding industry faces a significant labor gap, requiring additional employees to meet commercial and military demand.
Potential shifts in the sensor market
March 5, 2026
The automotive software and electronics market is moving toward zonal and centralized computing architectures.
Travel planning gets an AI upgrade
March 4, 2026
Gen AI is proving to be a useful tool for travel planning.
Skills reset for the AI age
March 3, 2026
AI-powered agents and robots could spur roughly $2.9 trillion in annual US economic value by 2030.
Recharging the battery supply chain
February 26, 2026
The global lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery industry is at an inflection point.
A chemical reaction
February 25, 2026
For nearly two decades, the chemical sector consistently delivered higher total shareholder returns than the broader market.
The future of AI workloads
February 24, 2026
AI has become the main growth engine for US data centers, reshaping data center economics, power planning, and leasing decisions.
Bilateral deals pick up momentum
February 19, 2026
Despite ongoing tariff and trade restrictions, global trade agreements have continued to accumulate, with one-on-one deals growing faster since 2000 than multilateral agreements.
Attention doesn’t equal revenues
February 18, 2026
UK media attention is largely concentrated in audio and social formats, but significant portions of the industry’s revenue and profits accrue elsewhere.
Investor relations to sustain pharma confidence
February 17, 2026
Investor relations is especially critical for life sciences companies because long R&D cycles and high capital intensity can strain market confidence.
Airport recovery still taxiing
February 12, 2026
Airports remained one of the weak links in aviation’s recovery in 2024.
Aging meets healthcare capacity crunch
February 11, 2026
Rising healthcare demand from an aging population in the United States is clashing with persistent clinical workforce shortages.
India pharma’s growth markets
February 10, 2026
A complex mix of forces is reshaping India’s pharmaceutical industry.
Lighting the way with AI
February 5, 2026
The newest sites added to the Global Lighthouse Network have embraced enterprise-wide AI deployment.
The aerospace inventory drag
February 4, 2026
While commercial air traffic and aircraft deliveries have recovered to prepandemic levels, the aerospace supply chain is experiencing inefficiencies.
Headwinds or a healthcare renaissance?
February 3, 2026
Still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, the US healthcare industry now faces new pressures in the trade, economic, and security order.
Economic optimism returns
January 29, 2026
Executives around the globe have shown increased optimism about their domestic economies compared with just a few months earlier.
Fashion slows its stride
January 28, 2026
The global fashion and luxury retail sectors are entering a new phase of low growth amid ongoing macroeconomic uncertainty.
AI adjusts the software bill
January 27, 2026
As AI introduces new variable costs, the pricing models for enterprise software are evolving.
Cooperation shifts shape
January 22, 2026
Overall cooperation around the globe has remained broadly stable, but its structure is shifting.
The high cost of missed prevention
January 21, 2026
Women in the United States face greater barriers to healthcare than men, leading to billions in avoidable costs each year.
Deep tech’s speed advantage
January 20, 2026
European deep-tech start-ups are reaching unicorn status more quickly than their regular-tech counterparts.
AI transformers versus tinkerers
January 15, 2026
Meaningful enterprise-wide impact from the use of AI is rare, but McKinsey survey results suggest that bold moves can yield big results.
Made in India for the EV age
January 14, 2026
Geopolitical and structural shifts are reshaping global trade, and the auto component industry has been heavily affected.
Canada’s productivity pinch
January 13, 2026
Canada boasts abundant resources, top-notch talent, and market access, yet labor productivity has stalled.
Agentic AI advances
January 8, 2026
AI is becoming widely used, but only a minority of companies are scaling more sophisticated capabilities that can transform their businesses.
China powers ahead in energy transition
January 7, 2026
The energy transition is advancing but unevenly.
Banking’s AI angst
January 6, 2026
If banks fail to respond to consumers’ adoption of AI their profit pools could shrink by an average of 9 percent globally.
From insight to enterprise with AI
December 18, 2025
The use of AI is becoming widespread across sectors and organizations, largely driven by the rapid adoption of gen AI.
Banking’s agentic AI opportunity
December 17, 2025
As banks grapple with falling revenues, some are exploring opportunities to use AI for productivity gains.
Canada’s needed health shift for women
December 16, 2025
Women’s health and productivity are tightly linked, but Canadian women spend 24 percent more time than men in poor health.
Mining for resilience
December 11, 2025
Over the past year, the materials industry has undergone notable shifts.
AI at work but not at scale
December 10, 2025
The use of AI is becoming widespread across sectors and organizations, largely driven by the rapid adoption of gen AI.
Balancing the global books
December 9, 2025
Entering 2025, global wealth reached a record $600 trillion.
US sports get a lift from Latino fans
December 4, 2025
The US sports economy is projected to grow from about $160 billion in 2024 to more than $300 billion in the next decade.
Decoding deal delays
December 3, 2025
The time it takes to finalize M&A deals has been on the rise over the past two decades.
Wings of change needed
December 2, 2025
The regional aviation segment provides 11 percent of total commercial aviation seats.
Healing to leading
November 26, 2025
Organizations are increasingly seeking leaders with clinical experience to better align mission and margin.
Future fuels and forces
November 25, 2025
Geopolitics, policy changes, and rising energy demand are transforming the global energy landscape.
The new age of geoeconomics
November 24, 2025
Governments are increasingly using policy tools, such as sanctions, to gain economic and strategic advantages.
Agentic AI adventures
November 20, 2025
AI adoption in the travel industry has accelerated sharply.
Revving up Europe’s automotive edge
November 19, 2025
The European automotive industry, a key economic pillar for the region, faces significant challenges from technological disruptions, international competition, geopolitical issues, and high costs.
Following payments’ paths
November 18, 2025
The global payments industry is a valuable segment of the financial-services sector, generating $2.5 trillion in revenue, supported by 3.6 trillion transactions.
FDI fuels chip shift
November 13, 2025
The global economy’s future will be powered by leading-edge semiconductors.
Investing in bridges to bandwidth
November 12, 2025
Infrastructure underpins global prosperity and modern industry.
The AI price is right
November 11, 2025
As AI becomes embedded into software workflows, businesses are considering whether pricing meters—such as seat-based subscriptions versus enterprise-wide flat fees—reflect the value they deliver.
European productivity revival plan
November 6, 2025
Europe faces a pivotal productivity challenge, note Senior Partner Ruth Heuss and coauthors.
Made and taught in America
November 5, 2025
Roughly 63 percent of the $1 trillion in announced advanced-manufacturing investments—spanning clean technology, semiconductors, and biomanufacturing—will be located within commuting distance of rural America, compared with just 30 percent of current manufacturing jobs.
Better than business as usual
November 4, 2025
Organizations that prioritize changes to business-as-usual processes are more likely to achieve successful transformations.
Agentic AI advantage for pharma
October 30, 2025
Life sciences companies face growing pressures that demand new approaches to growth, productivity, and agility.
Disruptor OEMs outpace rivals
October 29, 2025
Disruptor OEMs are deploying new operating models that can accelerate performance and outpace incumbents.
Global gains surge
October 28, 2025
Global economic profit (EP) pools have rebounded over the past four years, McKinsey’s analysis of the 4,000 largest nonfinancial companies (by market capitalization) since 2005 shows.
Assets up, but profits stuck
October 23, 2025
After a bumpy start this year, markets hit their stride, helping boost global assets under management (AUM) to a record $147 trillion by June 2025.
Tackling the sports media divide
October 22, 2025
Women’s sports in the United States are reaching an inflection point, with faster growth in fandom, viewership, and sponsorships.
Amped up battery demand
October 21, 2025
Although electric-vehicle sales have eased from their peak, battery technology continues to advance rapidly.
No time like the present
October 16, 2025
Many consumers plan to begin their holiday shopping well before the traditional Black Friday sales.
Stayin’ alive and well
October 15, 2025
Enabling people to live healthier for longer is increasingly important, with societies facing demographic shifts.
Racing to EV production
October 14, 2025
Chinese electric-vehicle (EV) OEMs have halved time to market, pressuring established automakers to speed up or fall behind.
Exec endorsement fuels AI adoption
October 9, 2025
AI investments in operations are paying off faster, but leading organizations are outpacing the rest, per a study by MIT and McKinsey.
Rural America’s diverse realities
October 8, 2025
Although rural America is home to 46 million people, these communities are far from the same, with varying degrees of economic mobility and standards of living.
The data center dividend
October 7, 2025
Data centers are the backbone of the digital services that individuals, businesses, and governments rely on.
Opportunity in trade uncertainty
October 2, 2025
An increasing share of executives see changes in the trade environment as creating opportunities for their companies.
Nationwide housing crisis
October 1, 2025
Quality affordable housing is essential for economic mobility but remains unattainable for too many in the United States.
The digital edge in small-business banking
September 30, 2025
Micro-, small, and medium-size enterprises (MSMEs) represent a crucial and growing market for banks, as they represent 90 percent of all companies and more than a fifth of global banking revenue pools.
Rural America in focus
September 25, 2025
Rural America is home to 46 million people, yet it remains under-researched.
Life sciences’ capital conundrum
September 24, 2025
The life sciences industry has seen a surge in capital, and firms have announced more than $150 billion in new capital projects before 2030.
China drives to the top
September 23, 2025
China has rapidly become the world’s largest car exporter, fueled in part by a surge in electric vehicle (EV) sales, positioning China as a key global player.
Aluminum recycling roadblocks
September 18, 2025
Expanding secondary aluminum production is crucial to achieving net-zero emissions goals, given that recycling aluminum uses significantly less energy than primary production.
Robotics grasps new possibilities
September 17, 2025
The robotics field is pivoting toward general-purpose robots.
Regional banks branch out with AI
September 16, 2025
The banking sector has shown an uneven embrace of gen AI since its emergence in 2022.
Pharma submission speedup
September 11, 2025
Biopharmaceutical companies are focusing on streamlining regulatory submissions for new products in an effort to enhance research and development productivity and boost financial outcomes.
The road ahead for mobility investment
September 10, 2025
Investment in future mobility is undergoing a shift.
AI’s edge in asset management
September 9, 2025
Faced with increasing margin pressure, the asset management industry must rethink its approach to technology investments.
Powering the future
September 4, 2025
The cloud and edge computing landscape is transforming, driven by AI advancements that are disrupting sectors from semiconductors to data center design.
AI shifts from novelty to necessity
September 3, 2025
Artificial intelligence has had a big year.
Tech bounces back in 2024
September 2, 2025
In 2024, the investment climate for frontier technologies stabilized and often rebounded, despite 2023’s macroeconomic challenges and market weakness.
Beyond benefits and pay
August 14, 2025
Despite indications that the labor market is easing in many regions, talent acquisition remains challenging and is becoming more complex.
Drilling down on geothermal capacity
August 13, 2025
US energy demand is expected to climb in the next decade, driven in part by data center load growth and electrification.
R&D recharged by AI
August 12, 2025
In many sectors, R&D investment has been yielding less innovation over time.
Robots on the rise
August 7, 2025
Robots could soon handle labor-intensive work tasks that until recently only humans could do, such as selecting and placing items, directing instruments, and operating handheld equipment.
Rearranging the trade deck
August 6, 2025
Global trade is undergoing significant change.
Marketing misgivings?
August 5, 2025
Some businesses are struggling to provide smooth customer experiences due to departmental fragmentation and a lack of clarity about who is responsible for customer-related functions.
Trade tectonics
July 31, 2025
The global trade system is on the brink of major change, but patterns differ significantly across scenarios.
To splurge or to save
July 30, 2025
Rising prices remain the foremost concern for consumers across all 18 markets assessed in the McKinsey ConsumerWise Sentiment Survey.
Europe’s tech start-up superstars
July 29, 2025
Europe’s tech ecosystem is demonstrating improving performance.
Cutting edge or cutting back?
July 24, 2025
Companies are trying to make the most of their innovation budgets, but many are holding steady or cutting back on innovation investments while still intending to generate higher returns.
An e-commerce glow-up
July 23, 2025
Beauty comes from within . . . the digital store?
What travelers want
July 22, 2025
Many fliers are open to spending more for features they care about, but some airline retail models haven’t captured the full value of customer preferences.
Airlines’ value on an upward trend
July 17, 2025
Airline operators face frequent challenges, from weather events to shifting travel habits to economic uncertainty.
Copper’s circular supply solution
July 16, 2025
As companies pursue carbon neutrality, a copper supply deficit looms.
Nigeria’s narrow career pipeline for women
July 15, 2025
In Nigeria, while women’s representation remains steady across the various rungs of the career ladder, entry-level representation is low, at just 33 percent.
Decarbonizing a material world
July 10, 2025
The production of materials accounts for roughly 20 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Targeted ads take off
July 9, 2025
Over the past three decades, the advertising industry has continuously transformed—from mass media like print and TV, which had few consumer insights, to retail media networks, which leveraged shoppers’ data to help brands reach customers.
Growth gains for budget airlines
July 8, 2025
In the years preceding the COVID-19 pandemic, budget airlines—also referred to as low-cost or ultra-low-cost airlines—experienced considerable growth.
Stagnant gains and rising strains for financial services
July 2, 2025
Despite technology investments and cost-cutting efforts, banks and insurers have struggled to achieve significant productivity gains in the past two decades, with cost efficiency remaining stagnant or declining.
New era of industrial incentives
July 1, 2025
Government subsidies, investment incentives, and other industrial-policy actions have almost quadrupled since 2017.
Obesity’s growing but unequal burden
June 26, 2025
Widespread obesity has emerged as a significant public health concern only in the past 50 years.
A slower tech tempo in Europe
June 25, 2025
Revenue growth for the technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT) sector has been slower in Europe than in the rest of the world.
Strengthening nurse leadership
June 24, 2025
The importance of nurse managers is particularly salient today, as clinical-care organizations face growing patient volumes amid a nursing shortage in the United States that could hit about 400,000 by 2030.
Closing the loop with circularity
June 19, 2025
The built environment makes up nearly 40 percent of global energy-related CO2 emissions.
Healthcare workers: A critical shortfall
June 18, 2025
Nearly 60 percent of the global population lack access to essential health services.
GLP-1s’ beauty boost
June 17, 2025
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists have effectively helped patients lose weight and, consequently, are also changing their appearance.
Consumer sentiment slides
June 12, 2025
Globally, consumer confidence continues to be subdued given that consumer prices have been persistently elevated and uncertainty is still high.
Global aid at a crossroads
June 11, 2025
Global aid faces a pivotal moment.
Prices top of mind for US consumers
June 10, 2025
US consumers have responded sharply to proposed global trade tariffs and ongoing inflation.
Let’s get flexible
June 5, 2025
When it comes to work-from-home versus return-to-office arrangements, preferences vary substantially by occupation and sector, a McKinsey survey reveals.
Productivity standouts and stragglers
June 4, 2025
As economies face broad global issues such as demographic shifts and inflated balance sheets, businesses’ productivity growth is increasingly crucial.
Watts next for the United States?
June 3, 2025
The US energy sector fuels the nation’s economy, spanning AI, technology, education, healthcare, and manufacturing.
Africa’s gen AI potential
May 29, 2025
Africa has embraced gen AI with remarkable speed, and its institutions are quickly catching up with and in some instances leading global developments.
Waves of workforce change
May 28, 2025
Global working-age populations are expected to peak in three waves, with the first wave including the United States and nearing its end.
India’s digital leap
May 27, 2025
India draws multinationals looking for new business opportunities.
Will consumers pay more for EVs?
May 22, 2025
Despite the ongoing increase in market share for electric vehicles (EVs), sales growth has slowed in many regions after years of rapid expansion.
Young minds, heavy mental burdens
May 21, 2025
More than half of the mental health disease burden affects those under age 40.
Data center demands
May 20, 2025
Amid the AI boom, compute power is emerging as an indispensable resource.
Tariff trajectories
May 15, 2025
Amid tariff uncertainty, business leaders can’t control the macroeconomic climate but can prepare by evaluating the range of plausible outcomes.
Order up, it’s food to go
May 14, 2025
On-the-go meal options are gaining traction, particularly among younger consumers in Europe.
VC sees green shoots on the horizon
May 13, 2025
Venture capitalists are increasingly investing in climate-focused technology businesses.
Economic uncertainty hits new high
May 8, 2025
The COVID-19 pandemic shattered previous records for economic uncertainty levels.
Leadership in the public sector
May 7, 2025
Public sector leaders manage one-third of the global workforce and oversee around a quarter of global GDP, yet research on what makes them successful is scarce.
Tariff tangle for automakers
May 6, 2025
The recent surge in trade controls and reciprocal tariffs is intense and unlike anything the world has seen since the 1930s.
Exploring export controls
May 1, 2025
Amid ongoing global geopolitical tensions, some companies are looking to untangle complex export control restrictions.
Gen AI’s ROI
April 30, 2025
Gen AI is delivering measurable financial results, with companies noting revenue increases over the course of a year.
Following educational footsteps
April 29, 2025
In Europe, a parent’s education level strongly predicts their child’s educational attainment.
Fashion’s emission outliers
April 24, 2025
In the fashion industry, Tier 2 suppliers play a crucial role in the production process, focusing on the creation and treatment of fabrics before they are assembled by Tier 1 suppliers.
Trade turmoil takes hold
April 23, 2025
Uncertainty looms in the latest McKinsey Global Survey on economic conditions, say Senior Partner Sven Smit and coauthors.
Rural America’s complex economic portrait
April 22, 2025
Economic mobility in rural America varies significantly by geographic location.
Gen AI’s broad reach
April 17, 2025
Utilities across the United States are projected to encounter significant challenges from water stress and flooding in the coming decades in the current 1.5° climate scenario, in which global warming is held to 1.5°C above preindustrial levels.
Utilities’ water worries
April 16, 2025
Utilities across the United States are projected to encounter significant challenges from water stress and flooding in the coming decades in the current 1.5° climate scenario, in which global warming is held to 1.5°C above preindustrial levels.
Telco operators get B2B on the line
April 15, 2025
The telecom and technology sectors are evolving rapidly, compelling telco operators to take decisive actions to maintain their market position.
2024’s M&A momentum
April 10, 2025
M&A activity in 2024 experienced an increase in both the value of deals over $25 million and the number of such deals.
Housing a growing global 65+ population
April 9, 2025
The global population aged 65 and older is projected to increase dramatically in the coming decades, creating significant future demand for senior-living services.
Sportswear slowdown
April 8, 2025
After growing at 7 percent per year for the past three years, the global sportswear market is projected to grow at 6 percent annually from 2024 to 2029.
Buyout deals bounce back
April 3, 2025
Global buyout deal values and entry multiples experienced a significant rebound in 2024, reaching the second-highest levels on record.
Gen AI’
April 2, 2025
Generative AI increases the automation potential of tasks that had previously been difficult to automate.
Talent should take center stage
April 1, 2025
Companies spend three times as much per year on talent as they do on capital assets, and business leaders often think of talent as an operating cost to be minimized.
Boomers budget, millennials splurge
March 27, 2025
At the start of the year, US consumers maintained a positive outlook on the economy, but spending expectations varied across demographic groups.
Lighthouse beacon expands
March 26, 2025
The Global Lighthouse Network comprises 189 sites across various industries.
IT maturity matters in telecom
March 25, 2025
Telecom operators with greater IT excellence tend to be more cost-efficient with IT spending than their peers.
M&A in flux
March 20, 2025
M&A deal counts are falling amid uncertain global economic conditions.
From doom to zoom in AI
March 19, 2025
When it comes to AI, employees around the world have a range of sentiments.
The need for speed?
March 18, 2025
Shoppers continue to enjoy online shopping, but e-commerce growth in the United States is slowing down, and consumer preferences have changed over the past two years.
Banks’ mobile mastery
March 12, 2025
Banks that lead in mobile adoption experienced significantly faster deposit account growth than their slower-adopting counterparts from 2021 to 2023, according to an analysis of 200 banks across the world.
Solar installation swings with policy shifts
March 11, 2025
Regulatory changes significantly affect residential solar projects.
The disconnect between AI spend and potential
March 6, 2025
Although almost all companies invest in AI, their spend doesn’t fully align with the economic potential in their industries.
Millennials are gen AI enthusiasts
March 5, 2025
A McKinsey survey finds that millennials are the most active generation of gen AI users.
Leaders underestimate employees’ AI use
March 4, 2025
Employees are more ready to adopt AI in the workplace than business leaders realize.
A PE pharma deal decline
February 27, 2025
Private equity (PE) deal activity in pharmaceutical supply chain services showed steady growth over the past decade, but that trend shifted postpandemic.
Degree divide
February 26, 2025
Educational attainment among Latinos in the United States has increased in recent years, yet it hasn’t matched that of non-Latino White people.
Caregivers are burning out
February 25, 2025
Caregivers for adults experience more workplace burnout than those who care for children.
Europe’s energy evolution
February 20, 2025
Energy companies and new market entrants could capture potential value in energy services and supply in Europe.
Happy workplaces outperform indexes
February 19, 2025
Prioritizing employee health is good for business.
AI budgets grow in life sciences
February 13, 2025
Life science organizations are expected to increase their gen AI budgets.
Luxury’s lull
February 12, 2025
Growth in the global luxury sector declined in 2024, a trend that is expected to continue in the coming years.
Pharma’s Rx for R&D
February 11, 2025
The average cost to develop a drug is $2.3 billion, and an increasing share of that spending has gone to contract research organizations (CROs) and contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs) in recent years.
Remote driving gains traction
February 6, 2025
A majority of car owners would consider using remote-driving services, where someone offsite uses a simulator to drive the car, such as for maintenance appointments; 58 percent report preferring remote over autonomous driving.
Growth ambitions, action shortfalls
February 5, 2025
The upstream oil and gas sector could possibly cut its emissions by 50 percent by 2030 through implementing cost-effective measures such as leaked gas recovery.
Steps to manage methane
February 4, 2025
The upstream oil and gas sector could possibly cut its emissions by 50 percent by 2030 through implementing cost-effective measures such as leaked gas recovery.
A massive global workforce
January 30, 2025
In 2023, the global workforce consisted of 3.627 billion workers.
Phishing with AI is cybersecurity’s new hook
January 29, 2025
Cybersecurity has always been a field with shifting threats.
Transit’s ridership rut
January 28, 2025
Transit agencies in the United States are at a critical juncture, with revenue and funding unable to keep up with the rising costs of growth and innovation.
Rising risks in insurance
January 23, 2025
The insurance sector is facing a rapidly evolving risk landscape, evidenced by the fact that most insurance chief risk officers (CROs) use early-warning KPIs for more risks than those considered material under their Own Risk and Solvency Assessment.
Innovation ignition
January 22, 2025
Looking to develop an engaged, innovative workforce? Establishing robust organizational processes and adaptability may help.
Gen Z leads the trade-down trend
January 21, 2025
With pessimism about the economy rising in Europe, consumers there continue to switch to less expensive products or postpone purchases (referred to as trading down), but a larger proportion of younger consumers report doing so than their older counterparts.
More companies commit to nature
January 16, 2025
Fortune Global 500 companies continue to setting quantifiable and time-bound targets related to nature.
Data defense
January 15, 2025
The global addressable market for cybersecurity could potentially be as much as $2 trillion, tenfold more than the current vended market.
Trade policy tensions
January 14, 2025
Trade policy changes were most often cited by executives in Greater China and North America as the greatest risk to their economies in the coming year, according to a recent McKinsey Global Survey.
Healthcare’s rough ride
January 9, 2025
In recent years, healthcare businesses have come under heightened pressure, dampening their financial performance.
Global trade shifts
January 8, 2025
Against today’s geopolitical backdrop, global trade flows are shifting.
The sun rises on renewables
January 7, 2025
Planned energy generation in the United States reveals a notable shift toward new players and renewable sources.
The world goes online
December 19, 2024
In the decades since the World Wide Web debuted in 1991, internet usage has grown dramatically, transforming global communication and commerce.
How medtech leaders create value
December 18, 2024
The global medtech sector has faced disruptions for several years, such as a steep drop in medical procedures during the height of the pandemic and, more recently, surging inflation.
Europe’s power in play
December 17, 2024
Power demand in Europe was projected to grow by 460 terawatt-hours between 2023 and 2030 because of rising GDP and population growth—but new analysis suggests up to 40 percent of this power demand might not occur.
Dynamic industries to watch
December 12, 2024
A range of 18 industries, from AI to nuclear fission to biotechnology, could reshape the global economy by 2040, because of their high growth and dynamism.
Sustainable farming takes root
December 11, 2024
Farmers have adopted several sustainability-oriented practices, particularly crop rotation and reduced or no tillage.
Billion-dollar disasters on the rise
December 10, 2024
An uptick in extreme weather events is one reason why North American power and gas companies may need to manage risk differently.
Banking’s eroding economic value
December 5, 2024
Despite banking experiencing the two best years since before the Great Recession, the industry has recently seen a substantial decline in its valuation relative to other industries.
The insurance allure
December 4, 2024
Private equity has consistently invested in the insurance sector, which has established itself as a key subsegment of financial services, particularly commercial lines.
Supply chain inventory inertia
December 3, 2024
2020 marked a year of unparalleled supply chain chaos largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nurses share promise and pitfalls of AI
November 27, 2024
Just like in other industries, AI has the potential to reshape healthcare as well.
A big business bite for digital and AI
November 26, 2024
Food and beverage companies could unlock significant value with digital and AI transformations.
More businesses, but not more jobs
November 25, 2024
The number of new micro-, small, and medium-size enterprises (MSMEs) in the United States increased 54 percent between 2019 and 2021.
A transatlantic AI divide
November 21, 2024
AI opportunities abound for European companies, but they have some ground to make up on their US counterparts.
Care inequities for people with disabilities
November 20, 2024
The 1.3 billion people living with disabilities globally have a substantially higher disease prevalence, and they also face more challenges to receiving the care they need.
Emerging energy demands
November 12, 2024
Global energy demand has taken off once again after a dip in 2020.
Microaggressions remain a parity pitfall
October 31, 2024
While companies have made strides toward gender parity, the work environment itself has not significantly improved for women.
Clean tech catch-up
October 30, 2024
Deployment of many clean technologies is falling short of 2030 targets.
The physician talent crisis
October 24, 2024
Healthcare organizations are grappling with the increasingly difficult—and urgent—task of attracting and retaining physician talent to meet increasing patient demand for care.
Steady spending in Europe
October 23, 2024
Despite a more positive outlook among European consumers, their spending habits remain largely unchanged from the previous quarter, with many continuing to implement savings strategies.
Uneven gender parity progress
October 22, 2024
Over the past ten years, women have achieved important advances across the corporate talent pipeline, particularly in senior leadership.
The retailer shuffle
October 17, 2024
While large companies tend to have the upper hand in retail performance, size doesn’t always matter.
Range anxiety on the road to zero emissions
October 16, 2024
Major trucking companies are shifting to zero-emission commercial vehicles, but the transition faces a bumpy road.
Stubborn labor shortages
October 14, 2024
Labor market tightness in many advanced economies is continuing a long-term trend that began during the recovery from the 2008 financial crisis.
Made in Southeast Asia
October 11, 2024
In the ever-shifting global supply chain, Southeast Asia is emerging as a manufacturing hub.
Hiring expectations dip
October 10, 2024
Private sector respondents are less optimistic now than they were a year ago about increases in their employers’ workforce size.
Health in a changing climate
October 9, 2024
The World Health Organization has called climate change “the greatest threat to global health in the 21st century.”
EV owners eyeing gas
October 8, 2024
Across Europe, 19 percent of electric vehicle owners are likely or very likely to switch back to a traditional combustion engine vehicle, according to a McKinsey Mobility Consumer Pulse Survey.
The energy transition is just beginning
October 7, 2024
The global energy transition is still in its infancy, and fossil fuels remain the predominant source of primary energy consumption.
Germany’s med staff crunch
October 4, 2024
Many physicians in Germany are having trouble filling available positions.
More wafers, please
October 3, 2024
Excitement over battery electric vehicles has led silicon carbide wafer makers to plan a more than threefold increase in capacity—surpassing ten million 150-millimeter wafer equivalents by 2027.
A boost for bank deposits
October 2, 2024
After six consecutive quarters of declines, US bank deposits rose in the fourth quarter of 2023.
What lies beneath retail’s carbon emissions
October 1, 2024
The retail sector has a significant carbon footprint, but a relatively small portion of it comes from retailers’ own operations.
Will logistics start-ups’ funding surge?
September 30, 2024
Logistics start-ups saw venture capital (VC) funding plummet to $2.9 billion in 2023 from a peak of $25.6 billion in 2021.
More narrow-body aircraft take flight
September 27, 2024
Narrow-body aircraft deliveries fell sharply in 2019 and 2020, but they have increased since then and are expected to rise steadily through 2029.
Sustainable fuel flies higher
September 26, 2024
Global projections for sustainable aviation fuel capacity in 2030 have increased significantly since 2022.
AI wings for fleet fixes
September 25, 2024
Airlines across the globe are facing the reality that fleet maintenance has gotten tougher.
Landing the right aerospace and defense talent
September 24, 2024
The global aerospace and defense sector is thriving, yet finding enough skilled workers remains a persistent challenge.
A plan for more planes
September 23, 2024
With leisure travel back to prepandemic levels, the commercial-aviation fleet is expected to grow by 3.2 percent annually to meet passenger demand.
New York City’s new tourism trends
September 20, 2024
New York City’s travel and tourism sector is bouncing back from its pandemic-induced slump.
Software’s growth slowdown
September 19, 2024
Growth efficiency at North American software companies has taken a tumble.
Seeking wafer makers
September 18, 2024
US semiconductor manufacturers need a few good workers.
Transforming industrial productivity
September 17, 2024
Technological progress over the years, including most recently generative AI, has promised to transform industrial production.
Is NYC out of fashion?
September 16, 2024
New York City has long been considered the epicenter of the fashion industry in the United States and a trendsetter on the global stage.
Where help is wanted in tech
September 13, 2024
Job postings in tech declined by 26 percent overall in 2023, but some tech sectors bucked the trend.
Tech talent mismatch
September 12, 2024
Tech is facing a wide skills gap, according to an analysis of 4.3 million job postings across 15 tech trends.
The buzz and bucks behind trendsetting tech
September 11, 2024
AI advancements are dominating the tech landscape once again, generating significant interest among surveyed organizations.
Taking tech from experiment to enterprise
September 10, 2024
Enterprise technology often follows a path from innovation, to experimentation, to pilots, and, finally, to fully scaled adoption.
Tech’s future is bright
September 9, 2024
Despite macroeconomic headwinds, the long-term trajectory for the 15 technology trends McKinsey analyzed is positive.
The gen AI prescription for healthcare
September 6, 2024
Generative AI (gen AI) has the power to reshape the healthcare industry over time, and organizations are beginning to take notice.
Retail and hospitality’s workforce woes
September 5, 2024
The US retail and hospitality workforce is still dealing with the aftershocks of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meet your virtual coworker
September 4, 2024
Generative AI could soon create “virtual coworkers” that could help complete complex tasks by organizing specialized agents to analyze data and refine outputs.
Aircraft deliveries set to take off
September 3, 2024
The commercial-aviation industry is poised for an uptick in aircraft deliveries, owing to a backlog of orders and ongoing supply chain challenges.
Readying for a recession?
August 9, 2024
Global economic conditions at the moment appear sunny, but clouds may be gathering on the horizon, executives say in the latest McKinsey Global Survey.
The golden decade for GCC banks
August 8, 2024
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) banking group has delivered exceptional returns to shareholders over the past decade.
CFOs counting on gen AI
August 7, 2024
Finance functions are investing in AI and generative AI (gen AI) technologies, with the expectation that they will improve productivity and free up employees to focus on higher-value tasks.
Consumer confidence roller coaster
August 6, 2024
Consumer confidence has been up and down in Asia–Pacific markets in recent months and is trending downward in most of these economies.
Mobile money matters
August 5, 2024
Embedded finance is experiencing significant growth in Europe—revenues there could surpass €100 billion by 2030.
UK corporations keep things private
August 2, 2024
The United Kingdom has attracted $1.8 trillion in private equity investments and $0.95 trillion in foreign direct investments in the past decade and a half.
An electric power play
August 1, 2024
In many European countries (where industry must pay for CO2 emissions), the price of electricity is falling below the costs of gas and of CO2 emissions, making it increasingly feasible to electrify industrial heat processes.
Auto chip market accelerates
July 31, 2024
The automotive compute unit market is expected to grow from $96 billion in 2023 to $148 billion in 2030.
Building a business out of data
July 30, 2024
In an era where data abundance poses both a challenge and an opportunity, companies are exploring the potential of transforming data into profitable businesses.
Waning workforce participation
July 29, 2024
Labor force participation rates in advanced economies is expected to slow or even reverse in the coming years.
Shareholder activism aftermath
July 26, 2024
Shareholder activists often boost a company’s valuation during their campaigns, and the gains last for the first three years.
Economic optimism vs job jitters
July 25, 2024
Compared with 2023, executives and managers this year are more optimistic about where the global economy is headed, according to the latest McKinsey Global Survey.
Taking the pulse of women’s heart health
July 24, 2024
More than 60 million women in the United States are living with cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Workforce wanted
July 23, 2024
Across dozens of advanced economies, the appetite to hire is outpacing the number of people seeking employment.
The tides of tokenization
July 22, 2024
Tokenization, the process of creating a unique digital representation of an asset on a blockchain network, offers many benefits for the financial system: it’s efficient, transparent, and secure.
US companies out-invest Europe
July 19, 2024
US companies are investing significantly more than their European counterparts in capital expenditure and R&D.
Green tech leaders and laggards
July 18, 2024
Some climate technologies are far off the mark for reaching net-zero targets.
Europeans earning and saving more
July 17, 2024
European consumers continue to have mixed feelings about the economy and are increasing their savings.
An aging and active labor force
July 16, 2024
Aging populations pose a potential drag on labor force growth, yet older people are working for longer in many advanced economies.
Health systems’ digital and AI constraints
July 15, 2024
To address rising costs, clinical workforce shortages, and other headwinds, health systems are increasing their focus on digital and AI technology.
Gen Z ditching ESG?
July 12, 2024
Consumer interest in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues is declining across generations.
A perfect storm for consumer packaged goods
July 11, 2024
Consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies face a collection of challenges that puts immense pressure on them to adapt their business models.
Credit unions’ youth dilemma
July 10, 2024
Credit unions are losing market share with younger generations, with banks serving as the primary financial institution for the majority of millennials and Gen Zers.
Software’s byte of the gen AI apple
July 9, 2024
Generative AI’s (gen AI’s) quick adoption over the past year suggests that the global software sector will undergo a major change.
Shipbuilding talent may be adrift
July 8, 2024
Demand for commercial ships is on course to grow, but talent supply may be adrift in today’s market.
An AI opportunity for health insurers
July 5, 2024
Health insurers stand to gain substantial benefits if they can fully integrate AI and automation into the end-to-end processes of each part of their business.
Gen AI casts a wider net
July 3, 2024
Generative AI (gen AI) hasn’t taken long to expand into new business functions.
AI fast-tracks software tasks
July 2, 2024
Generative AI (gen AI) tools can significantly increase the productivity of software product managers, especially for content-heavy tasks.
Hedging against market volatility
July 1, 2024
Hedging of interest rate risk was a less prominent activity for banks when rates were lower.
Gen AI’s rapid uptake
June 28, 2024
Generative AI (gen AI) technology develops quickly, and many organizations are wasting no time adopting its capabilities.
The ephemeral effect of stock index inclusion
June 27, 2024
Inclusion in or exclusion from a major stock index can affect a company’s share price, but the effects are temporary.
Rise of the service sector
June 26, 2024
Generative AI may propel changes in labor demand, but changes in employment patterns are nothing new.
How the pandemic affected inventory
June 25, 2024
After the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted supply chains globally and left companies with low inventory, retailers started building up their stock from 2021 to the first half of 2022.
Small-but-mighty businesses
June 24, 2024
Micro-, small, and medium-size enterprises (MSMEs) on average have only half the productivity of large companies, and less than that in emerging economies.
Ready or not, here come the tourists
June 21, 2024
Tourism can bring big economic benefits to destinations, but it can also cause negative effects, such as overcrowding, environmental damage, and threats to local culture.
Home sharing is where the heart is
June 20, 2024
The use of home-sharing options such as Airbnb has ticked up in recent years.
DIY travel destinations
June 19, 2024
Travelers enjoy the journey of planning their own trips, note senior partner Matteo Pacca and coauthors.
A luxe travel shift
June 18, 2024
Demand for luxury tourism is projected to grow faster than other segments of the industry, but even among this group, preferences vary widely.
Travel takes off from new markets
June 17, 2024
Eastern Europe, India, and Southeast Asia have fast-growing pools of first-time tourists, Caroline Tufft and coauthors find.
Roam if you want to
June 14, 2024
The tourism and hospitality industry has had to evolve as customer preferences change.
Product marketing magic
June 13, 2024
Product marketing managers (PMMs) play a vital role in translating market insights into product requirements and overseeing product launches.
Is nearshoring in fashion?
June 12, 2024
Nearshoring—locating production close to consumer markets—has been a top priority for US and European apparel executives since 2016, according to McKinsey surveys.
Why women’s health lags behind men’s
June 11, 2024
Although women generally outlive men by about 4.5 years, they experience 25 percent more time in poor health.
Make me a match
June 10, 2024
As AI reshapes the business landscape, leaders are grappling with skills mismatches.
The hidden cost of women’s health disparities
June 7, 2024
The inequality between women’s and men’s health represents $1 trillion in potential economic growth.
Rate cut hopes take a nosedive
June 6, 2024
Market expectations for US interest rate cuts in 2024 have declined significantly since the end of last year.
Recharging vaccine R&D
June 5, 2024
Despite advances in vaccine innovation to combat COVID-19, progress for other vaccine archetypes has been uneven.
Listen and learn in the workplace
June 4, 2024
Employers may have the wrong idea about what retains employees, according to a survey by partner Andrea Pedroni and colleagues.
Spirituality around the world
June 3, 2024
The importance of spiritual health varies a lot for people from one country to another.
Heating’s hot challenge
May 31, 2024
Industrial heat pumps have the potential to supply more than 10 percent of global industrial and district heating demand for temperatures below 200°C by 2030.
Aiming for empowerment
May 30, 2024
The “empowerment line” is a threshold at which people can afford essential goods and services and build savings.
Amplify thriving talent
May 29, 2024
In categorizing employees based on their level of satisfaction, thriving stars—those who are most engaged—comprise only about 4 percent of a typical organization.
Decarbonizing through nature
May 28, 2024
Indonesia is the eighth-largest contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, and historical trends point to a potential doubling of those emissions by 2060.
Cash is no longer king
May 24, 2024
Latin Americans have moved away from cash as their favored method of payment.
Gen Z’s spiritual well-being
May 23, 2024
Gen Z’s spiritual health is suffering compared with other age groups. In a McKinsey Health Institute survey of more than 41,000 respondents across 26 countries.
Chipping in on semiconductor fabs
May 22, 2024
US semiconductor companies have announced investments for new builds that are estimated to reach $200 billion to $350 billion within the next decade.
CFOs fostering fortitude
May 21, 2024
As CFOs move into the middle of their tenures, they must become prime movers of change.
Small enterprises, big productivity gaps
May 20, 2024
Micro-, small, and medium-size enterprises (MSMEs) are critical to the global economy, accounting for 90 percent of all businesses, yet they are less productive than large companies in emerging and advanced economies.
The reel deal for Asians and Pacific Islanders
May 17, 2024
The film and television industry has the opportunity to unlock billions of dollars in additional revenue by improving how Asian and Pacific Islanders (APIs) are represented.
Quantum technologies’ investment slump
May 16, 2024
Private and corporate funding for quantum technology start-ups slumped 27 percent in the past year, even as public investment surged.
Defensive measures
May 15, 2024
In the 1950s and 1960s, the US government accounted for nearly 70 percent of global R&D spending.
Addition for CO2 subtraction
May 14, 2024
CO2 removal is a crucial step on the path to achieving net-zero emissions.
Life in the fast lane
May 13, 2024
Emerging economies in the “fast lane” of productivity growth—that is, those that could reach advanced-economy productivity levels in the next 25 years—have made great strides, in part due to urbanization.
Many happy talent returns
May 10, 2024
Sizing up a company’s return on talent has always been challenging, as calculating individual productivity over time is tough.
Reconfiguring trade
May 9, 2024
A reconfiguration of global trade is under way.
A revenue boost with vertical integration
May 8, 2024
Over the past few years, US healthcare businesses that have prioritized vertical integration have experienced the strongest growth, and those with a payer at the center that owns or is strongly aligned with traditional pharmacy and provider functions but doesn’t own capital-intensive acute-care facilities have seen the quickest revenue gains.
Keeping aircraft in the sky with AI
May 7, 2024
The recent double-digit growth of commercial air travel, a global shortage of aircraft, and a backlog of deferred maintenance are causing significant personnel shortages at airline and related companies, particularly when it comes to maintenance, repair, and overhaul.
Seeds of sustainability
May 6, 2024
Agriculture accounts for nearly a quarter of global emissions, making sustainable farming practices necessary to meet decarbonization goals and broader environmental targets.
Financial Rx for health facilities
May 3, 2024
Academic medical centers play a crucial role in treating complex patient populations in an educational setting, but many of these facilities also encounter financial challenges, including inflation and reimbursement rates that don’t keep pace with costs.
Aircraft backlog keeps climbing
May 2, 2024
Air travel demand soared after a precipitous drop at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it hasn’t let up.
Decentering gen AI
May 1, 2024
Across the global banking sector, generative (gen AI) could add between $200 billion and $340 billion in value annually, largely through increased productivity.
A new energy strategy
April 30, 2024
Industrials are highly exposed to rising energy costs and the recent volatility in prices caused by geopolitical instability.
The real deal with real estate deals
April 29, 2024
Real estate deal activity plunged below historical averages in 2023.
Productivity picks up the pace
April 26, 2024
Global productivity climbed sharply in the past 25 years, thanks in part to 30 “fast lane” economies—meaning those that could reach advanced-economy productivity levels in the next quarter century.
Growing threat from instability
April 25, 2024
Geopolitical instability and conflicts are the top threats to growth, according to global executives surveyed on economic conditions.
Bringing nurses back
April 24, 2024
In the nursing workforce, intent to leave—particularly clinical care roles—remains high.
Hot take on heat energy
April 23, 2024
On the path to meeting decarbonization targets, heat pumps could play a role in the industrial sector, in which heating accounts for more than 20 percent of global CO2 emissions.
Are agtech start-ups recovering?
April 22, 2024
The agriculture technology (agtech) industry has been in a funding drought over the past few years, with venture capital investments down by 60 percent since 2021 and by 30 percent in 2023 alone.
Are you experienced?
April 19, 2024
US consumer spending on things rose slightly and spending on experiences slumped during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The future of food?
April 18, 2024
Labels that use recognizable language and easily understood claims about health impacts are the most compelling for enticing people to try a food product with novel ingredients.
The true gen AI talent pool
April 17, 2024
The pool of generative AI (gen AI) talent within organizations is likely bigger than expected.
A byte out of crime
April 16, 2024
Financial-services companies, already familiar with managing cyber risk, may want to step up their vigilance: the frequency and severity of cyberincidents are on the rise.
Think locally, act locally
April 15, 2024
The United States is a mosaic of small communities, but the majority of them display sizable disparities between residents of different racial and ethnic backgrounds.
Are the chatbots taking over?
April 12, 2024
AI technologies are reshaping customer care.
Latinos underrepresented in entertainment
April 11, 2024
Latinos account for 19 percent of the US population but are responsible for 24 percent of box-office ticket sales and make up 24 percent of streaming subscribers.
A gen AI risk assessment
April 10, 2024
Which generative AI opportunities should organizations pursue?
A feel-good story for the economy
April 9, 2024
There’s a potential payoff from happier, healthier employees.
Staying connected
April 8, 2024
If they want to strengthen their B2B revenues, telcos may want to focus more on connectivity compared with services that connectivity enables, such as the Internet of Things, IT services, and cloud-based solutions.
A jolt to jobs from gen AI?
April 5, 2024
Generative AI could shake up the labor market in the New York region, causing as many as 380,000 jobs to shift by 2030.
On the road again
April 4, 2024
The mobility sector is in the midst of a transformation, as the industry explores new technologies such as AI and consumers increasingly shift their preferences toward electric and shared vehicles.
A defensive transition
April 3, 2024
European countries are rebuilding their defense capabilities in response to geopolitical tensions after three decades of reduced military spending.
Making smart calls on 6G
April 2, 2024
6G has the potential to revolutionize the mobile industry.
Reboot for software investing
April 1, 2024
Private equity firms are poised for a new wave of investment in software companies after a recent period of intense activity has turned into challenging times.
The ties that bind
March 29, 2024
Global cooperation is key to better lives and livelihoods, but in some areas it appears to have stalled after trending positively for much of the past decade.
Overpowered
March 28, 2024
As wind and solar power scale, there could be moments when electricity supply outpaces demand in certain markets.
Mobility’s AI future
March 27, 2024
The mobility sector is undergoing a speedy transformation thanks to the growth of electric vehicles and innovations such as autonomous driving.
Digital diagnosis
March 26, 2024
Many consumers in Latin America continue to view doctors as the most reliable source of healthcare information (44 percent), but more than a quarter of survey respondents say health apps and social media are their go-to for health info.
Get your story straight
March 25, 2024
Before companies embark on an initial public offering they should develop a compelling story to tell investors, find partner Jamie Koenig and colleagues.
Ten tech trends that could steer mobility
March 22, 2024
Ten technology trends, from cloud and edge computing to immersive reality, could transform the mobility sector.
Competition for corporate deposits
March 21, 2024
Banks face a daunting task: to draw and keep corporate deposits while relatively high interest rates have prompted some customers to move their funds or pay down debt.
A one-click fix for manufacturing
March 20, 2024
AI has the potential to revolutionize manufacturing.
You better shop around
March 19, 2024
Shoppers are changing their ways amid above-average inflation and uncertainty about interest rates.
M&A’s bumpy ride
March 18, 2024
From the COVID-19 pandemic to macroeconomic and geopolitical volatility, M&A dealmakers have been on quite a ride.
Bolstering the energy talent pipeline
March 15, 2024
The competition for talent is heating up in the oil and gas industry, especially as new energy businesses and workforce demographics contribute to a potential talent crunch.
Medtech’s AI boost
March 14, 2024
The medtech industry notched record numbers of US Food and Drug Administration approvals in 2023.
Europe’s untapped resource
March 13, 2024
As economies slow and labor markets become tighter, Europe has an opportunity to increase the economic empowerment of ethnocultural minorities while boosting growth.
Advancing health at the city level
March 12, 2024
With the number of people living in cities expected to increase to 70 percent of the global population by 2050, addressing large disparities in health outcomes in urban areas has significant potential to improve lives and livelihoods.
Sportswear for the win
March 11, 2024
After posting 2 percent revenue growth in 2022, the global sportswear industry came back in 2023 with 6 percent CAGR.
Healthier women, healthier economies
March 8, 2024
GDP in many countries could get a boost if women’s health conditions in those regions were better addressed.
Grading global education
March 7, 2024
As school systems continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, much of the global discussion about educational performance revolves around a small subset of mostly high-income countries.
Growth market for medical aesthetics
March 6, 2024
The medical-aesthetics market, treatments aimed at improving patients’ cosmetic appearance, has a bright future.
Grid unlock
March 5, 2024
As economies shift toward decarbonization, demand for renewable energy sources (RES) is expected to boom.
Navigating global trade flows
March 4, 2024
As global trade patterns evolve, taking stock of cross-border greenfield investments could provide a clue about what trade flows might look like going forward.
Pickleball nets fans
March 1, 2024
The sporting goods sector has shown resilience despite subdued consumer confidence in recent years.
Mitigating climate change
February 29, 2024
While global CO2 emissions may decline after 2025, average warming is likely to exceed the 1.5°C threshold by 2035.
A $1 trillion boost from better health
February 28, 2024
Global life expectancy has increased, from 30 years in 1800 to 73 years in 2018. Yet, as senior partner Kweilin Ellingrud and colleagues show, that’s not the whole picture.
A closer look at place and racial equity
February 27, 2024
Comparing conditions for Black Americans with those of White Americans who live in the same communities (considering factors such as standard of living and job opportunities), senior partner Shelley Stewart and colleagues find that virtually nowhere in the United States are outcomes for Black residents on a par with those of their White peers.
Germany’s natural gas shift
February 26, 2024
Trade relations have been changing around the world in recent years, in part due to geopolitical upheaval.
A shortfall in addressing women’s health
February 23, 2024
A lack of data specific to sex and gender has safety implications for women, according to the McKinsey Health Institute.
Power-full planning
February 22, 2024
US state-level leaders have an opportunity to play a key role in accelerating the transition to clean energy.
Reaching racial parity
February 21, 2024
How long would it take for Black Americans to reach a level of economic prosperity and quality of life that’s on par with that of their White neighbors?
An outlook on oil
February 20, 2024
Oil demand growth has started to show signs of slowing, and demand could fall by up to 50 percent by 2050.
Unsmooth sailing
February 19, 2024
The Panama Canal is vital to global trade, with about 14,000 vessels passing through each year.
High cost of health disparities
February 16, 2024
Women spend about 25 percent more time than men in poor health, a gap that, if eliminated, could improve lives and boost global GDP by $1 trillion each year by 2040.
Press 1 to avoid speaking to an agent
February 15, 2024
US consumers are accustomed to digitized and personalized service experiences, but many government agencies have yet to modernize their systems..
Fear of inflation eases
February 14, 2024
A McKinsey Global Survey finds that concern over high interest rates has almost halved from earlier in 2023.
Making sense of the mortgage market
February 13, 2024
The US mortgage market has hit a trough, and new customer behaviors—such as embracing digital channels and nonbanks—have caused lenders to rethink their value proposition.
Transitioning to clean hydrogen
February 12, 2024
Hydrogen could contribute to decarbonizing the energy system, with emerging applications in steel and heavy road transport, for example.
The AI advantage
February 9, 2024
Most leaders may recognize the need to incorporate digital and AI more deeply into their businesses, but many remain skeptical of the effort and investment involved.
Women’s wellness market poised for growth
February 8, 2024
There are several growth opportunities across the wellness market—including women’s health products, find senior partner Warren Teichner and coauthors.
Soaring value from better tech
February 7, 2024
Some airlines use IT systems that are up to half a century old.
Power surge
February 6, 2024
The energy transition has created global demand for technologies that enable electrification, which is likely to play a key role in the race to net zero.
Gen AI and the racial wealth gap
February 5, 2024
Generative AI (gen AI) has the potential to create value for companies and generate wealth for workers.
Leisure travel’s peaks and valleys
February 2, 2024
As travel demand continues to ramp back up during the postpandemic recovery, leisure traffic has recovered more quickly than business traffic in many regions.
Gen AI is so hot right now
February 1, 2024
The fashion industry has witnessed its share of ephemeral tech buzz, trends that disappear before they start.
Flying high on sustainable fuels
January 31, 2024
Demand for sustainable fuels is expected to increase as the world aims to achieve decarbonization targets.
The journey is the destination
January 30, 2024
Shifting customer preferences and go-to-market strategies, such as direct sales, are transforming the commercial vehicle industry.
Job skills of the future
January 29, 2024
One of the most pressing questions about generative AI (gen AI) is how it will reshape the workforce—with the risks of job displacement potentially more pronounced for workers of color.
Great spending expectations for essentials
January 26, 2024
As inflation lingers above the Federal Reserve’s target rate, US consumers predict they’ll have to spend more this year on necessities.
A banking boost for Latino customers
January 25, 2024
In the United States, Latinos historically have not had access to many of the benefits of financial services, which has contributed to persistent inequalities.
Big things come in recyclable packages
January 24, 2024
Many retailers vow to reach ambitious sustainability goals by making more of their packaging recyclable; the boldest players aim to increase the share of such material in their products to 50 percent by 2030.
Banking’s gen AI opportunity
January 23, 2024
Generative AI (gen AI) is poised to fundamentally change how many industries operate.
Innovation advantage
January 22, 2024
Companies with strong innovation cultures have double the success rate of some of their peers when scaling digital transformations, according to a recent McKinsey survey of more than 1,000 executives.
Boosting economic empowerment
January 19, 2024
About 4.7 billion people (61 percent of the world’s population) live below the empowerment line—the level at which people can afford to meet essential needs such as nutrition, housing, healthcare, and education.
Gen AI’s productivity possibilities
January 18, 2024
Using generative AI capabilities in the public sector, healthcare, and education could realize global productivity gains of nearly half a trillion dollars.
A resolution to build resilience
January 17, 2024
Business shocks requiring quick responses have become the new norm for leaders.
Geopolitical conflicts loom large
January 16, 2024
Geopolitical instability has risen as a potential threat to global growth for 2024, cited by 67 percent of executives in a recent McKinsey Global Survey.
Removing carbon, one solution at a time
January 15, 2024
CO2 removal (CDR) could play a critical role in meeting net-zero targets—and create opportunities for businesses.
Mapping climate inequities
January 12, 2024
Many Black communities in the United States are disproportionately exposed to the impacts of climate change—a risk that can exacerbate already existing racial gaps.
Fortifying the grid
January 11, 2024
Extreme weather events can pose a threat to the performance and reliability of power grids—especially when there’s a high demand for electricity.
Optimism with a note of caution
January 10, 2024
Respondents to the McKinsey Global Survey on economic conditions were cautiously optimistic about their companies’ performance in the first half of 2024.
All in the family business
January 9, 2024
Family-owned businesses have long played an outsize role in the global economy.
Greener buildings, better profits
January 8, 2024
Decarbonizing buildings is no small feat, but there are emerging ways real estate leaders can lower emissions—and do it economically.
Down but not out
December 21, 2023
The asset management industry has experienced its share of shocks over the past 18 months, from surging inflation and interest rates to geopolitical tensions.
Holding back the waters
December 20, 2023
Accelerating climate change is giving rise to extreme weather events that could threaten the habitability of some of the planet’s most populated areas and force changes in many communities.
Broader travel horizons
December 19, 2023
Fueled by a booming economy and the world’s largest population, more Indian tourists are expected to set out for international destinations in coming years, with the number of trips increasing from 13 million in 2022 to potentially more than 80 million in 2040.
Benefits of branching out
December 18, 2023
Rising interest rates and continuing geopolitical tensions have made the outlook on global trade flows hazy.
Broadening the scope of healthcare
December 15, 2023
Healthcare entities are seeking ways to address health-related social needs (HRSNs)—childcare and transportation, for example—which significantly affect health outcomes.
Frequent flier rebellion
December 14, 2023
Members of travel loyalty programs are becoming increasingly disloyal.
Generating value with gen AI
December 13, 2023
CFOs looking to create value may find opportunities with generative AI (gen AI).
A boon for mortgage brokers?
December 12, 2023
The turbulent global mortgage climate has been challenging for many financial institutions.
High hopes for cloud computing
December 11, 2023
Many leaders have high hopes for cloud computing, which can help organizations optimize IT costs and scale new technologies.
A ways to go to achieve net zero
December 8, 2023
Despite meaningful momentum, the world is not on track to reach the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.
Nurses’ ongoing burnout
December 7, 2023
Years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, burnout among healthcare workers hasn’t abated.
Feeling a little anxious?
December 6, 2023
Business leaders in advanced industries view their short-term prospects with a mixture of uncertainty and pessimism.
A $460 billion price tag
December 5, 2023
In recent years, the financial industry has increasingly shifted its focus toward nonfinancial risks—those that emerge from people, processes, systems, and external events, such as operational risk and regulatory compliance.
Exploring options in insurance investing
December 4, 2023
The role of private equity (PE) in the insurance sector is quickly evolving.
In with the new
December 1, 2023
Despite economic uncertainty, companies are doubling down on building new businesses—and, in many sectors, the types of businesses are evolving.
What’s your plan for climate resilience?
November 30, 2023
Extreme weather events are becoming increasingly common around the world.
Veterans’ untapped earning potential
November 29, 2023
US military veterans may be missing out on potential earnings after active duty.
A prescription for supply chain challenges
November 28, 2023
Pharmacies could be a growth area for players across different health systems, from for-profit and not-for-profit entities to academic medical centers.
The cost of climate adaptation
November 27, 2023
The poorest and least-developed nations are likely to face the most devastating effects from climate change.
Holiday shopping jitters?
November 22, 2023
Economic uncertainty and geopolitical issues are weighing on US consumers How will it affect their holiday shopping?
Taking the pulse of life insurance
November 21, 2023
As global insurers increasingly focus on Asia as a growth engine, some pockets of the industry have slowed.
The business case for diverse leadership
November 20, 2023
One key way to build new businesses could be tapping underrepresented talent for leadership.
Who needs a nap?
November 17, 2023
Workers around the globe have something in common: they’re exhausted.
Gathering energy
November 16, 2023
Renewable energy has been growing rapidly and is becoming increasingly cost-competitive.
Finding profit on the edge
November 15, 2023
The telecommunications industry is devising elaborate plans to overhaul everything from business models to operations to customer experience, as companies game-changing demand from businesses and consumers.
EVs charge up
November 14, 2023
Electric vehicles (EVs) accounted for about 8 percent of all new passenger cars sold in the United States last year, a record amount.
Airlines’ sputtering recovery
November 13, 2023
The aviation industry continues to recover from pandemic-related declines, although overall losses have shrunk from $159 billion in 2021 to $69 billion last year.
Seafood, without the sea
November 10, 2023
Global demand for fish protein is expected to continue to grow.
Net zero’s green premium
November 9, 2023
Demand for net-zero offerings continues to surge.
Golden years
November 8, 2023
Meaningful connections in old age can lead to health and happiness—and benefit economies.
Curing healthcare’s talent gap
November 7, 2023
The healthcare industry is facing a shortage of workers, as the need for nurses and others in the field is expected to rise.
A wealth of opportunities
November 6, 2023
The wealth management industry could be looking at significant opportunities in the Asia–Pacific region.
Automatic for the people
November 3, 2023
Knowledge workers, prepare for automation.
What loyalty?
November 2, 2023
The consumer in the Asia–Pacific region is quickly evolving—and brands would be wise to pay attention.
Clean energy is so metal
November 1, 2023
Achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 will require a transition to cleaner energy sources.
Deadline to spend school dollars
October 31, 2023
US federal funds totaling $90 billion remain on the table for K–12 schools, and they need to move quickly to spend it.
Marginalized groups bear the brunt of microaggressions
October 30, 2023
Women experience microaggressions at significantly higher rates than men, research shows.
Financial performance may vary
October 27, 2023
Banking institutions have been on a wild ride in recent years, and their performance has varied depending on the type of institution.
Elements of success
October 26, 2023
Change is inevitable, but not all companies achieve successful transformations.
Fab sustainability
October 25, 2023
Decarbonizing supplier emissions has emerged as a priority for semiconductor manufacturers.
Slow climb to the C-suite
October 24, 2023
Women’s representation in the corporate pipeline has made modest gains in recent years, according to the most recent Women in the Workplace report.
Bang for your R&D bucks
October 23, 2023
There are opportunities for medtech players to make the most of R&D spending.
Buying into sustainability
October 20, 2023
Many shoppers expect brands and retailers to “walk the walk” when it comes to sustainability commitments.
A booming insurance market
October 19, 2023
Rapidly expanding economies and an emerging middle class have helped make Latin America a booming region for insurers.
I need a vacation
October 18, 2023
Consumers are hot to travel—which means companies in the travel industry would be wise to look for growth opportunities.
Speeding toward EVs
October 17, 2023
Electric-vehicle (EV) adoption is reaching an inflection point in India.
The world’s trade hub
October 16, 2023
Asia’s robust growth and its position as the world’s manufacturing and trade hub make it a key player in the global economy.
Keeping an eye on China’s economy
October 13, 2023
China’s slowing economic activity has emerged as a concern for business leaders.
The cost of unhappy workers
October 12, 2023
Worker attrition and disengagement cost median S&P 500 companies about $282 million annually.
Liquidity lift
October 11, 2023
Digital wallets and instant payments have helped to boost revenues for banks and other players in the payments industry.
A run on recycled materials
October 10, 2023
Only 18 percent of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle waste is recycled across the US value chain.
Happy planting?
October 9, 2023
Designing and delivering factories for green technologies (such as hydrogen) is one of the great challenges of the net-zero transition, as cost overruns and extended timelines for capital projects are common.
Pumping the brakes on used-car prices
October 6, 2023
A confluence of global challenges strained supply and boosted demand for used vehicles from 2020 to 2022.
From poverty to empowerment
October 5, 2023
What would it take to raise living standards and get on a path to net zero?
Putting a charge in battery supplies
October 4, 2023
Europe’s automotive industry is shifting gears in an increasingly competitive global market.
Keeping the government humming
October 3, 2023
For most countries, government represents the largest portion of the economy and is the biggest employer.
Cautiously optimistic
October 2, 2023
The US economy remains buoyant, despite a slight increase in the consumer price index, from 3.0 percent in June to 3.2 percent in July and even though core inflation nudged only slightly downward from 4.8 to 4.7 percent during that time.
A shortfall in disability data
September 29, 2023
Sixteen percent of the global population lives with significant disabilities, and many of these people experience greater barriers to healthcare access.
A surge in machinery M&A
September 28, 2023
A programmatic M&A strategy could help European machinery companies to stay competitive and attract and retain skilled talent (programmatic M&A is when companies regularly and systematically pursue multiple small or medium-size acquisitions).
Safety first
September 27, 2023
Connected cars are the future of the automotive industry, according to McKinsey’s 2023 Global Automotive Connectivity Executive Survey.
Decades away from gender parity
September 26, 2023
While the quest for gender parity in global private markets has made progress in recent years, much remains to be done.
Unpacking packaging trends
September 25, 2023
In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, hygiene concerns slowed the push to eradicate single-use packaging across several regions.
The first cut is the deepest
September 22, 2023
Reaching net-zero greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050 will require G20 economies to accelerate their low-emissions investments this decade.
Key moves for CFOs
September 21, 2023
Amid the shocks of the past few years, CFOs have had to balance offensive and defensive moves to keep their organizations strong.
Plastic urgency
September 20, 2023
Strong demand for circular plastics, combined with changing regulations and increasingly ambitious company commitments, has led to healthy margins in advanced recycling.
A dearth of BLNA women in tech
September 19, 2023
The number of computing degrees awarded to Black, Latina, and Native American (BLNA) women nearly doubled from 2016 to 2021.
Get with the program
September 18, 2023
A proactive, programmatic approach to M&A continues to be a winning growth strategy for many organizations (programmatic M&A is when companies regularly and systematically pursue multiple small or medium-size acquisitions).
Touch and go for RTO?
September 15, 2023
Employees are returning to work at corporate offices, but they are going in for fewer days a week than they were before the pandemic.
The future of two-wheelers? It’s electric
September 14, 2023
Electrification is transforming the mobility sector, and two-wheeled vehicles are no exception.
A net-zero Latin America
September 13, 2023
The net-zero transition has picked up steam in Latin America, find senior partners Xavier Costantini and Elias Goraieb and colleagues.
Calling all clean-energy workers
September 12, 2023
The European Union, which accounts for about 8 percent of global energy-related emissions, could position itself as a leader in efforts to achieve net zero.
The growth trifecta
September 11, 2023
Financially successful companies that integrate environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) priorities into their growth strategies outperform their peers if they also overachieve on fundamentals.
A wider academic gap
September 8, 2023
Through the 1970s and ’80s, racial inequities in academic outcomes were diminishing, but meaningful progress for students of color has stalled.
China to keep on trucking
September 7, 2023
Chinese demand for heavy-duty trucks soared from 2015 to 2020, as the country experienced an infrastructure boom and increased consumer appetite for road transportation.
Homeward bound
September 6, 2023
In early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused office attendance in the world’s top metropolitan areas to drop up to 90 percent.
Gen AI flips the script?
September 5, 2023
Automation technologies tend to most directly affect workers with lower levels of educational attainment.
Sky’s the limit
September 1, 2023
In facing challenges such as inflation, talent shortages, and higher energy costs, machinery and equipment manufacturers could look to digital and cloud solutions for help.
A game plan for tech talent
August 31, 2023
Keeping up with the market for tech talent has become increasingly important for companies.
Defense spending surge
August 30, 2023
The invasion of Ukraine has sparked an increase in defense spending among many European and NATO countries.
Paying up for autonomous driving
August 29, 2023
When it comes to the adoption of autonomous vehicles, safety is top of mind for consumers.
No quick housing fix
August 28, 2023
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, office space is plentiful and residential real estate supply is inadequate in many global cities.
A skills shake-up
August 25, 2023
The adoption of AI has the potential to reshape the workforce, though many employees could be looking at reskilling instead of separation.
The future of work in America
August 24, 2023
The US labor market has gone through a rapid transition—which should only continue, when factoring in the impact of AI.
Auto’s AI embrace
August 23, 2023
The automotive sector is one of several large industries that are poised to generate as much as one-third of sales from new products in the next few years.
Don’t ask me, AI just work here
August 22, 2023
Generative AI is poised to transform roles across sectors, from sales to software development and more.
Tech trends worth your time
August 21, 2023
There are 15 tech trends that executives should follow closely.
Latin America in a new era
August 18, 2023
Given the events that have disrupted society and business over the past few years, how might Latin America fare in a new era?
Empty spaces, hybrid places
August 17, 2023
The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way people work, live, and shop in cities around the world.
Ukraine’s ongoing humanitarian crisis
August 16, 2023
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, approximately 6.4 million refugees have relocated to neighboring countries, including Germany and the Czech Republic.
Stream, shop, repeat
August 15, 2023
Consumer interest in live commerce—which enables real-time product purchasing and interaction with a host during a live video event—continues to grow.
Inflation on the mind
August 14, 2023
What keeps many CFOs up at night? Inflation, according to our latest CFO pulse survey.
The digital advantage
July 28, 2023
Digital excellence often translates into improved financial performance, according to a McKinsey study of 20 digital leaders and 20 digital laggards in retail banking between 2018 and 2022.
Consumer confidence boost
July 27, 2023
European consumers report the most optimistic economic outlook in at least a year, despite continuing price increases, according to a McKinsey survey conducted in May.
The shift to shared mobility
July 26, 2023
Consumers are increasingly looking to shared, more sustainable ways of getting around.
The flight path to net-zero flying
July 25, 2023
While the aviation industry has made progress toward achieving net-zero flying by 2050, the path forward will be complex.
Trading down
July 24, 2023
Even though Mexican consumers are feeling somewhat more optimistic about both the economy and their finances, the positive sentiment isn’t apparent in their shopping habits.
A coding boost from AI
July 21, 2023
When it comes to software development, generative AI can bring groundbreaking time savings.
Climate-friendly farming
July 20, 2023
Agriculture is a key consideration in global sustainability efforts: agricultural land accounts for half of all habitable land worldwide and 70 percent of freshwater withdrawals.
Listen to the activists
July 19, 2023
Corporate boards often react defensively when activist investors start making demands.
Emissions buildup
July 18, 2023
The built environment ecosystem, encompassing everything from homes to highways, is responsible for about one-fourth of global greenhouse-gas emissions.
Scooter race
July 17, 2023
As shared electric kickscooters (e-kickscooters) become ubiquitous around the world, cities are increasingly considering regulation.
Room for improvement
July 14, 2023
Consumers are expecting more from their customer experiences, and the government doesn’t always deliver as well as the private sector does.
Talent crunch
July 13, 2023
The provisions of the US Inflation Reduction Act could help grow capacity for renewables such as solar, onshore wind, and batteries almost three times faster than projected before the law took effect.
Insuring the insurers
July 12, 2023
Insurers and reinsurers are reassessing their risk tolerance in the face of increasingly frequent and severe catastrophes, new types of risk, and rising interest rates.
All in on virtual learning? Not so fast
July 11, 2023
The COVID-19 pandemic shifted much of higher education from in-person to online.
Plugging in to the lithium market
July 10, 2023
As demand for electric vehicles revs up, so does the need for lithium, a key input for batteries.
Aiming for growth in Africa
July 7, 2023
Africa has the youngest and fastest-growing population, which could reach 2.5 billion by 2050.
Is regional air travel ready for liftoff?
July 6, 2023
Regional air travel could soon take off thanks to technology advances, a greater focus on sustainability, growing frustration with road and airport congestion, and the emergence of mobility-as-a-service.
Going whole hog on automation
July 5, 2023
Farmers worldwide are feeling a financial squeeze, as significant cost increases for labor and resources put their profitability at risk.
A leadership opportunity in the public sector
July 3, 2023
While women continue to be better represented in the public sector than in private companies, they remain underrepresented in top jobs.
In it for the long haul
June 30, 2023
Large-scale transformations of organizations often start strong but end up losing an average of 42 percent of their expected value in the later phases.
Opportunities to flex
June 29, 2023
Flexible workplaces have the potential to improve employee performance and make real estate spending more efficient.
More patient care, less paperwork
June 28, 2023
The United States could soon be looking at a shortage of 200,000 to 450,000 nurses, according to McKinsey research.
Diversifying the beauty market
June 27, 2023
After weathering the COVID-19 pandemic and a turbulent macroeconomic environment, the market for beauty products is projected to grow by 6 percent a year to reach approximately $580 billion by 2027.
Stacking chips
June 26, 2023
As 5G, autonomous vehicles, and other emerging technologies shape the future of semiconductor demand, advanced packaging for semiconductor wafers could be key to creating value for manufacturers.
A new funding landscape in logistics
June 23, 2023
A surge in funding for logistics start-ups in 2021 was followed by a decline of almost 50 percent at the end of last year.
Productivity lags behind ‘paper wealth’
June 22, 2023
Global economic growth has been sluggish over the past two decades, even as asset price inflation created “paper wealth” of $160 trillion.
Land squeeze
June 21, 2023
Meeting the European Union’s goal of achieving net zero by 2050 will require the number of solar- and wind-power installations to increase threefold by 2030.
Lift me up
June 20, 2023
Many A range of factors, from balancing stress to having a sense of purpose, can affect the health and well-being of aging populations.
Rapid response
June 16, 2023
Many organizations get bogged down at the beginning of a transformation of their business, wasting valuable time, energy, and momentum.
One firm, exponential results
June 15, 2023
There’s value in operating as “one firm,” according to senior partner Scott Keller and coauthors.
When modular construction doesn’t stack up
June 14, 2023
The US housing shortage—particularly of affordable housing—could be eased by modular construction, but the technique hasn’t gained wide acceptance in North America compared with other nations.
Enduring the conflict
June 13, 2023
Floods are only the latest challenge to conducting business in Ukraine, as the invasion of the country has inflicted both a human and economic toll.
China’s AI talent gap
June 12, 2023
China’s need for workers skilled in AI is expected to grow sixfold by 2030 (from one million to six million).
Have no car, will travel
June 9, 2023
Younger drivers in Europe have distinct mobility preferences, opting more often than older generations do for public transit and shared mobility modes over private vehicles.
Construction’s digital revolution
June 8, 2023
The $12 trillion architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry has been among the slowest to digitize and innovate.
Tripped up by tech debt
June 7, 2023
Company leaders recognize how critical technology is for meeting their strategic goals: as much as 71 percent of the value from business transformations across sectors depends on technology.
Quality over conscience?
June 6, 2023
US consumers say product packaging and environmental impact are less important than quality, price, and convenience when considering a purchase.
Philippines’ unmet banking needs
June 5, 2023
Banking revenue pools in the Philippines may triple by 2030, but 44 percent of the country’s bankable population—those aged 15 and older—is considered unbanked.
Ten shifts coming to your organizations
June 2, 2023
Hybrid workplaces. AI. Addressing mental health. These are just three of the ten shifts that are transforming organizations.
Mild winter, cooling gas demand
June 1, 2023
Russian natural gas exports to Europe declined by more than 50 percent from 2021 to 2022, leading to surging prices.
Splurging during uncertainty
May 31, 2023
US consumers continue to have mixed feelings about the economy, yet many still want to indulge themselves.
Reaching for the stars
May 30, 2023
Many commercial satellite constellation operators continue to fall short of their objectives: about 45 percent of announced constellations have not yet had a satellite launch.
Show me the advancement potential
May 26, 2023
Despite the recent wave of layoffs in the tech sector, demand for digital talent is as robust as ever, with employers struggling to fill positions.
Full steam ahead
May 25, 2023
Decarbonizing the hard-to-abate chemical industry will be a key step on the path to reducing emissions.
Gauging employees’ mental health
May 24, 2023
Four of five HR leaders surveyed by the McKinsey Global Institute say mental health and well-being are top priorities for their organizations.
Moving on from the pandemic?
May 23, 2023
Worries over the COVID-19 pandemic’s effects on the economy have started to fade, according to a recent McKinsey Global Survey.
Social media struggle is real for Gen Z
May 22, 2023
Across generations, social media users report more positive effects than negative ones related to their use of the technology—except for Gen Z.
AI tools for retailers
May 19, 2023
The European grocery sector is expected to begin its recovery in the second half of this year after experiencing substantial cost pressure in 2022.
Pick your plan
May 18, 2023
The US individual health insurance market has increasingly given consumers more options for insurers and products.
Fortifying steel
May 17, 2023
It’s been a bumpy ride for the steel industry.
What generational divide?
May 16, 2023
Workers across different age groups tend to leave or start new jobs for similar reasons.
Shrinking profit pools
May 15, 2023
Despite impressive global GDP growth in the past two decades, companies’ aggregate economic profits have been contracting.
Taking green cred to the bank
May 12, 2023
There’s an opportunity for retail banks to bolster their green credentials.
Under pressure
May 11, 2023
The effects of inflation on commodity prices and supply chains put added pressure on the construction industry’s procurement strategies.
Unseen and untreated
May 10, 2023
Women’s health conditions have long been diagnosed far less often than conditions affecting men.
Job jitters
May 9, 2023
Economic uncertainty has some US consumers concerned about job security, despite a persistently tight labor market.
Sports gender gap
May 8, 2023
Women sports managers create a far more positive experience for their teams than their male counterparts.
Full throttle
May 5, 2023
Electric-vehicle (EV) sales have sped up over the last couple of years.
Bracing for the IoT
May 4, 2023
A safer, more secure Internet of Things (IoT) has significant implications for businesses.
I saw the sign-ups
May 3, 2023
Enrollment in the US individual health insurance marketplace exceeded 16 million last year, a 25 percent jump from 2020.
Snaring semiconductors
May 2, 2023
Manufacturers in many sectors are encountering volatile demand dynamics in the hunt for semiconductors.
Good eating
May 1, 2023
Increasing numbers of American consumers say eating healthfully and sustainably are priorities.
A broken ladder?
April 28, 2023
The US higher education system is increasingly failing to deliver on its promise of fostering economic mobility and equity, as enrollment slows, student debt surges, and the sector’s reputation declines.
A new space age
April 27, 2023
With the space economy valued at $500 billion and growing, executives need to think about making space part of their strategy.
Fewer unicorn sightings
April 26, 2023
Growth equity fundraising soared to a record $132 billion globally in 2021, but deal momentum fell dramatically in the second half of 2022.
Investing in a sustainable future
April 25, 2023
The $1 trillion US Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is more than a year old, and some spending patterns are becoming apparent.
A complex crisis
April 24, 2023
The number of people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles, at approximately 69,000, surpassed that of New York City and has increased by roughly 56 percent from 2015 to 2022.
Climate tech weathers the storm
April 21, 2023
Bucking the headwinds that roiled most capital markets, climate-related private-market technology investments increased in 2022, with power, transportation, and water the biggest targets for funds.
Leveling up in healthcare
April 20, 2023
Women are strongly represented at the entry level in healthcare but are still underrepresented in more senior roles.
Private equity slows its roll
April 19, 2023
Private equity fundraising had a banner year in 2021, reaching all-time highs before falling 15 percent, to $655 billion, last year.
The cheese stands alone
April 18, 2023
Plant-based dairy alternatives are gaining traction, but 71 percent of US consumers choose dairy products exclusively, according to a recent McKinsey survey.
Core to the energy transition
April 17, 2023
Nuclear power is a zero-carbon electricity source that can play a key role, alongside renewables, in the energy transition.
Breaking the cycle
April 14, 2023
Homeless experiences vary, but a cycle can start to develop for many individuals, write senior partners Alexis Krivkovich and Robert Schiff and coauthors.
First, do no harm
April 13, 2023
US consumers are placing a higher priority on wellness and want the healthcare system to become more customer-oriented.
Reduce, reuse, recycle at scale
April 12, 2023
Battery production for electric vehicles has soared to meet demand.
What’s trending, for CEOs
April 11, 2023
There’s an opportunity to step up the inclusion of Black talent in STEM fields.
STEM the tide
April 10, 2023
There’s an opportunity to step up the inclusion of Black talent in STEM fields.
A healthy jump in funding
April 7, 2023
Digital health tools, such as virtual interactions and paperless data, are getting a boost in Africa.
Road map to growth
April 6, 2023
Companies should rely on ten rules in mapping their path to sustainable, value-creating growth—but these rules don’t all affect returns in the same way.
On the move
April 5, 2023
Evolving consumer sentiment will play a key role in steering the mobility sector, according to partners Kersten Heineke and Timo Möller.
Out of office, for three years
April 4, 2023
As working remotely remains the norm for many, vacated office space continues to vex real estate players.
Scale up, bring emissions down
April 3, 2023
To hit net-zero targets and fend off the worst effects of climate change, a set of key technologies needs to scale exponentially.
Counting on analytics
March 31, 2023
Corporate and commercial banking accounted for $2.3 trillion of total global banking revenue last year.
Growth goals in the Philippines
March 30, 2023
Business leaders in the Philippines looking to emerge from the economic disruptions in recent years may consider an “era thinking” strategy.
Dropping out
March 29, 2023
K–12 schools in the United States are struggling to retain teachers, with annual turnover rates at about 8 percent.
A taste of easing inflation?
March 28, 2023
Sticker shock at the grocery store could be letting up.
Curbing battery emissions
March 27, 2023
Unlike vehicles with internal combustion engines, electric vehicles (EVs) do not produce direct tailpipe emissions from burning diesel and gasoline.
Rethinking administrative costs
March 24, 2023
Building and maintaining effective support functions requires significant investment, and can affect how two companies think about value creation when separating.
Big things come in small devices
March 23, 2023
More chips, anyone? The US Department of Defense has earmarked billions of dollars for microelectronics R&D over the next several years.
Mining for talent
March 22, 2023
Mining faces an unprecedented skills shortage, which has elevated talent to the top of executives’ agendas.
Locating racial inequities
March 21, 2023
Racial inequality trends are national in scope, but vast differences can exist between states and cities.
Meating agenda
March 20, 2023
Compared with eaters in Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States, Chinese consumers tend to consider healthiness and product safety rather more than price when buying meat.
Corralling carbon
March 17, 2023
Carbon capture, use, and storage (CCUS) could play a significant role in the effort to reach climate goals.
Health meets wealth
March 16, 2023
Investments in healthcare could add trillions of dollars to global GDP—all while improving quality of life.
5G buildup
March 15, 2023
There’s a lot of excitement about—and investment in—5G mobile networks, find senior partner Pallav Jain and colleagues.
How renewables can materialize
March 14, 2023
Countries are eyeing renewable-energy options to meet decarbonization goals.
Investing in Black America
March 13, 2023
There are eight key investment areas for advancing Black economic mobility, according to analysis by senior partner Shelley Stewart and coauthors.
Plane planning
March 10, 2023
Demand is soaring in the commercial aviation industry, as passenger air travel rebounds from pandemic lows.
Launch and learn
March 9, 2023
First-time biotech launches are on the rise, find partners Pablo Salazar and Peter Wright and coauthors.
An uneven distribution of women in tech
March 8, 2023
Women remain underrepresented in tech roles at European companies, find senior partner Sven Blumberg and coauthors.
Meta-value
March 7, 2023
As leaders try to make sense of the metaverse, here’s one sign of opportunity: the market value of metaverse activity could grow to $4 trillion to $5 trillion by 2030.
Building up Black tech talent
March 6, 2023
There is a dearth of Black workers in tech jobs in America.
Unpacking ESG product claims
March 3, 2023
Consumers walk the walk when it comes to spending on products that are backed by environmental, social, and governance (ESG) claims.
Betting the farm on agtech?
March 2, 2023
Agriculture technology (agtech) can provide operational cost savings and boost growth that is less resource-intensive.
Dollars and planetary sense
March 1, 2023
Climate change is just one sign that humans have put a strain on the planet.
Following the money for racial justice
February 28, 2023
Companies continue to pledge funding to fight racial injustice. But where is the money going?
Calling on dispatch
February 27, 2023
Renewable energy sources are a critical component of Europe’s decarbonization efforts, and are expected to provide 60 percent of the continent’s energy capacity by 2030.
Finding fixes for chronic disease
February 24, 2023
Chronic diseases are expected to create an increased burden globally, find senior partner Ralf Dreischmeier and coauthors.
The download on product management
February 23, 2023
Product management functions have the potential to unlock the full value of software investments—but that’s not always the case.
Distress signals
February 22, 2023
Symptoms of burnout are higher than the global average for some living in several Middle Eastern countries, a recent McKinsey survey found.
Interchangeable parts
February 21, 2023
While Europe has increased its defense funding, this alone will not deliver the continent’s defense policy goals.
The highest form of battery
February 20, 2023
The push for electric mobility options comes with greater demand globally for the batteries that power them.
Mapping virtual care
February 17, 2023
Telehealthcare adoption remains much higher than prepandemic levels, but adoption hasn’t been uniform across geographical locations.
Two if by land, one if by drone
February 16, 2023
Are delivery drones set to take off?
Help (really really) wanted
February 15, 2023
The labor market continues to be one of the big riddles of the postpandemic era.
Banking on decarbonization
February 14, 2023
Private financial institutions will be vital in the global transition to net-zero greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050, with up to $275 trillion of investment needed for physical assets.
Warming up to autonomous driving
February 13, 2023
Autonomous driving (AD) could create significant value for the auto industry, generating $300 billion to $400 billion in revenues by 2035.
Vietnam’s potential for renewables
February 10, 2023
Vietnam is unique among its peers around Southeast Asia with respect to its physical potential to generate renewable energy, say senior partner Vishal Agarwal and coauthors.
Hi, robot
February 9, 2023
Industrial companies are expected to invest heavily in robotics and automation, find partner Emily Shao and coauthors.
Flex, please
February 8, 2023
Tech workers in the United States—particularly older employees—overwhelmingly favor remote work, according to partner Oliver Bossert and coauthor.
Volatility is the new norm
February 7, 2023
The current economic uncertainty can be chalked up, in part, to recent events, including geopolitical instability, volatile commodity markets, and rising inflation.
Infotainment superhighway
February 6, 2023
Mobility sector stakeholders see opportunities to capture value from the metaverse, even before the digital world fully materializes.
Battery boom
February 3, 2023
Demand for electric vehicles is expected to keep soaring.
Plugging in equitably
February 2, 2023
There is a digital divide for many Black Americans—and this divide goes beyond access to broadband, find partner Kunal Modi and coauthors.
What have you done for me lately?
February 1, 2023
Dissatisfied workers in Europe are eyeing other opportunities, exacerbating a high job vacancy rate and skills gap.
The impact of commodity prices in Africa
January 31, 2023
From energy and labor to logistics and metals, commodity price increases have greatly impacted the cost of goods sold (COGS) in Africa, say senior partner Marco Ziegler and coauthors.
Seeing double with AI
January 30, 2023
AI has the potential to accelerate problem solving for industrial companies in a few key ways, find senior partners Alex Singla and Bill Wiseman and colleagues.
Construction stagnation
January 27, 2023
Speed in executing capital projects is critical for achieving sustainable-development goals, say senior partner Steffen Fuchs and coauthors.
Superaged like a fine wine?
January 26, 2023
The proportion of people over 65 will almost double over the next couple decades, creating challenges as care demands increase and dependency ratios shift.
Risk pros are making moves
January 25, 2023
Risk and compliance professionals are key to mitigating the broad array of risks companies face today.
The future of US defense spending
January 24, 2023
The latest Future Years Defense Plan by the US Department of Defense provides insight about spending trends related to specific technologies.
More than lunch money
January 23, 2023
The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund allocates $190 billion for K–12 schools in the United States—but the funds have an expiration date of 2024.
Inclusion in action
January 20, 2023
Companies make strides toward gender equality when they offer specific and actionable policies along with equitable benefits, McKinsey’s Women in the Workplace report with LeanIn.Org shows.
A giant leap for the space industry
January 19, 2023
The space industry is set to take off over the next decade, find senior partner Ryan Brukardt and collaborators at the World Economic Forum.
Different paths, but a common goal
January 18, 2023
To get the energy transition on track—and fend off the worst effects of climate change—renewables need to scale up globally.
A granular look at human progress
January 17, 2023
Measuring human progress requires an up-close approach.
Winning at the margins
January 16, 2023
A look at how leading US companies handled the global financial crisis of 2007–11 could provide valuable lessons for leaders confronting today’s uncertainties.
Two wheels keep on turning
January 13, 2023
Increasing demand for electric vehicles (EVs) will shake up the auto landscape over the next ten years.
AI knows you’re off the clock
January 12, 2023
AI is the latest tool for optimizing workforce management.
Higher learning
January 11, 2023
The education-to-employment sector that serves adult learners has the attention of venture capitalists—dozens of “unicorn” edtech start-ups have valuations of more than $1 billion.
Welcome to the hydrogen economy
January 10, 2023
Hydrogen could be a critical part of the journey to net zero, as it can be used in applications ranging from transportation to steelmaking.
How do we ketchup?
January 9, 2023
Looking at the journey of tomatoes in developed countries reveals some grim data.
Out-of-pocket pinch
January 6, 2023
Employers and workers are feeling the pinch of inflation on US healthcare costs.
A long way to gender parity
January 5, 2023
Business leaders and workers in Mexico are increasingly paying attention to issues around diversity and gender equity.
Where we’re going, we need more chargers
January 4, 2023
For Europe to zoom ahead on electric-vehicle (EV) adoption, the region will need to pick up the pace on its build-out of EV-charging infrastructure.
Global growth goals
December 22, 2022
Three interlocking goals—sustainability, inclusion, and growth—are critical for realizing a better global future.
Sluggish spending
December 21, 2022
Real spending in the United States had been climbing since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pediatricians are burning out
December 20, 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect medical workers on every level, say senior partners Sarah Calkins Holloway and Ed Levine and coauthors.
Follow the tech dollars
December 19, 2022
A look at where technology investment is going could provide a glimpse of what the future of business and society looks like.
Don’t just blame the beef
December 16, 2022
The environmental impact of meat and dairy receives a lot of media attention—for good reason.
Let’s talk about AI
December 15, 2022
What technologies will be key for advancing new businesses?
Get to know the titanium economy
December 14, 2022
More than 4,000 US firms comprise the “titanium economy,” a cohort of industrial tech companies that are redefining the future of US manufacturing.
Mini vehicles are gaining traction
December 13, 2022
Minimobility might be the next big thing in transportation, say partners Kersten Heineke and Timo Möller and coauthors.
Dawn of a new era?
December 12, 2022
Could the current moment of geopolitical and economic upheaval usher in a new era of progress?
Digital trust is earned
December 9, 2022
Digital-trust leaders are outperforming their peers both in loss prevention and business growth, say senior partners Alex Singla, Kate Smaje, and coauthors.
Investment in fusion is heating up
December 8, 2022
Nuclear fusion has long been considered a far-off, near-impossible clean-energy solution.
Money side up
December 7, 2022
Revenues in the global payments industry that eroded in 2020, the first full year of the pandemic, were recouped—and then some—in 2021, growing at 11 percent and pushing revenue projections to $3 trillion by 2026.
Different disruptions, different playbooks
December 6, 2022
The confluence of today’s crises are challenging leaders in Europe at a greater magnitude than they have ever faced before.
Cleantech creation
December 5, 2022
Achieving net-zero goals will require stepping up climate technology innovations.
Gen Z has health concerns
December 2, 2022
Across nearly all aspects of health—mental, social, spiritual—young people in Europe feel worse off than their counterparts in other age groups.
Why consumers are vegging out
December 1, 2022
For many consumers, eating plant-based alternatives to meat has more to do with personal health than the environment, find senior partner Jessica Moulton and colleagues.
In AI we trust
November 30, 2022
Films like The Terminator or The Matrix may suggest people should be wary of artificial intelligence.
Shifting gears in auto insurance
November 29, 2022
Autonomous technologies, increased connectivity, and vehicle electrification could all have a significant effect on the automotive insurance market.
Assessing US health
November 28, 2022
As US health officials start to think beyond the immediate crises around COVID-19, there’s an opportunity to focus on broader health issues affecting Americans.
Look to the trees
November 23, 2022
There’s a unique opportunity in Malaysia to mitigate climate impacts.
Cost concerns
November 22, 2022
Cost increases are looming large in the minds of organizational leaders, according to results of McKinsey’s latest economic conditions outlook survey.
What's in your cart?
November 21, 2022
The decision to shop sustainably often depends on the effort required by consumers.
Cashing in on a banking boom
November 18, 2022
Already a hotbed for fintech, Africa could be looking at a banking boom in the coming years.
More women needed in leadership roles
November 17, 2022
Despite modest gains in representation over the past five years, women—and especially women of color—are still dramatically underrepresented in leadership roles in corporate America.
Putting a premium on net zero
November 16, 2022
As we approach an inflection point in the net-zero transition, insurance carriers must transform to stay relevant.
Sky-high payments costs
November 15, 2022
Airlines lose $20 billion annually—3 percent of their annual revenue—in costs related to payments from airline booking transactions, largely due to the high use of credit cards.
Emissions advantage
November 14, 2022
Continued investments in fossil fuels are crucial even as the world aims to achieve a low-carbon future, to ensure energy access and security for people globally until the net-zero goal is met.
Need for speed
November 11, 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a reckoning for the healthcare industry.
Consumer trust in a digital world
November 10, 2022
Most companies aren’t putting themselves in a position to live up to consumers’ expectations when it comes to digital data, say senior partners Alex Singla, Kate Smaje, and coauthors.
Land leverage
November 9, 2022
Emerging economies will need the private sector to help fund green infrastructure initiatives.
Fintech’s moment in Africa
November 8, 2022
The fintech industry in Africa has reached an inflection point.
Net zero and the Nordics
November 7, 2022
Is a Nordic Silicon Valley of sustainability developing?
Ramping up supply chain resiliency
November 4, 2022
The vulnerabilities of highly globalized supply networks have been exposed by the turbulence of recent years.
A gap in financial services
November 3, 2022
Financial institutions in the United States are investing more in diversity and inclusion efforts, but have yet to fully meet Black consumers’ needs, McKinsey senior partner Shelley Stewart III and coauthors find.
Hanging tough
November 2, 2022
Resilient players in the distribution industry could emerge from these volatile times with a strategic advantage against competitors.
Round and round we grow
November 1, 2022
Consumer demand is shifting toward greener goods, say McKinsey senior partner Stefan Helmcke and coauthors.
Cloud control
October 31, 2022
To stay competitive, insurance carriers might look to the cloud.
Widening the performance
October 28, 2022
In times of adversity, it’s important for business models to be resilient.
LGBTQ+ workers more likely to experience microaggressions
October 27, 2022
In a McKinsey survey, nearly one-third of surveyed LGBTQ+ employees reported experiencing a microaggression at the workplace—being interrupted or talked over, for example.
Fortune favors the bold
October 26, 2022
The sheer number of ongoing global shocks—inflation, a pandemic, the invasion of Ukraine—has many organizations hunkering down and awaiting an end to the present volatility.
Creeping costs of coverage
October 25, 2022
Property and casualty (P&C) insurers are feeling the pinch of inflation.
Independence leads to optimism?
October 24, 2022
While the overall economic landscape may be trending toward gloomy, independent workers remain surprisingly upbeat, according to the McKinsey Economic Opportunity Index.
Growing up is hard to do
October 21, 2022
In the age of unicorns, the “grow or die” mindset has mushroomed into a corporate cliché, but revenue growth remains a critical driver of corporate performance and one of the surest signs of a thriving enterprise.
Move over, cash
October 20, 2022
Many African countries have seen record growth in electronic payments over the past two years, and the trend is expected to continue.
Positive energy
October 19, 2022
Expectations for growth are increasingly pessimistic across many industries—except energy and materials, find senior partner Sven Smit and colleagues in the latest McKinsey Global Survey.
The power of greener jet fuel
October 18, 2022
The aviation industry has a significant role to play in the quest for a net-zero future.
Screening is just the start
October 17, 2022
Some healthcare and nonmedical providers have ample screening methods to assess needs related to social determinants of health but fall short of offering actual programming to the patient populations who need those services.
Engineering a diverse talent pool
October 14, 2022
Aerospace and defense (A&D) companies have an opportunity to expand the tech talent pool.
LGBTQ+ employees feel left out
October 13, 2022
LGBTQ+ employees reported a significantly lower level of inclusion compared with their straight counterparts, according to results of a McKinsey survey.
Investors get a kick out of e-scooters
October 12, 2022
E-kickscooters got a jolt in investments in recent years.
Not everyone gets to work remotely
October 11, 2022
The vast majority of those who can work from home do so, but that doesn’t mean there is equal opportunity.
Higher stress levels
October 10, 2022
In Asia, burnout rates for workers are higher than the global norm.
Getting back on track
October 7, 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic brought passenger rail to a halt in many places.
A different kind of credit-card decline
October 6, 2022
In Australia, credit-card accounts have declined by about 6 percent a year, while buy now, pay later (BNPL) accounts have grown by more than 40 percent a year since 2017.
What’s next in tech
October 5, 2022
Organizations would be remiss to plan for their futures without factoring in technological advances on the horizon.
Time is money
October 4, 2022
According to our analysis, companies are struggling to deliver capital projects on schedule, for a few reasons.
Race and the frontline experience
October 3, 2022
Black and Latino workers are overrepresented in industries with low-paying frontline roles, making 20 percent less than White frontline workers, according to McKinsey analysis.
Safe haven no more?
September 30, 2022
Infrastructure investing has long been considered stable.
We want more home work
September 29, 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a major shift in workplace flexibility, particularly in the United States.
A choice in health matters
September 28, 2022
Just over half of the counties in America had a single health insurer in 2018.
Route to an equitable future
September 27, 2022
McKinsey research shows that Black Americans will spend more on cars (including electric) in the coming years, projected at $190 billion by 2030.
Still spending after all these fears
September 26, 2022
Although consumer spending in the United States has slowed in certain categories (home and electronics, for example) some segments are experiencing double-digit growth.
Squandered fortunes?
September 23, 2022
Europe misses out on €78 billion in value from aluminum, plastics, and steel products, typically due to these materials not being recycled at all or from the products sustaining downgraded effects after a cycle of use.
A growing gap in higher ed
September 22, 2022
Many US colleges and universities have pledged to achieve racial and ethnic representational parity among both student and staff populations, but progress has been incremental at best and may not be reached in our lifetime.
Rough seas for freights
September 21, 2022
Sea freight rates are keeping the global supply chain under pressure.
Steering toward luxury
September 20, 2022
One trend that could shape the future of the luxury-car market is the continued increase in the number of high-net-worth individuals (HNWI) and ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWI).
Job poaching prevention
September 19, 2022
Contact center talent is tough to hold onto.
Get pumped up
September 16, 2022
Electric heat pumps have emerged as a solution for reducing building emissions—and greener electricity is key to optimizing heat pumps’ potential.
How do you view inflation?
September 15, 2022
Perceptions of inflation don’t always match reality—that’s one of the insights from our latest Consumer Pulse Survey.
Women investors on the rise
September 14, 2022
Women investors in Western Europe control roughly a third of total assets under management (AUM), at about €4.6 trillion.
Betting big on quantum
September 13, 2022
Quantum technologies could be the key to resolving global issues from climate change to improving drug-delivery times.
A boon for biotech
September 12, 2022
Biotech start-ups with next-generation platform technologies—such as new therapeutic delivery methods and machine-learning-enabled drug discovery—have captured the lion’s share of recent venture-capital (VC) investment in the industry.
Boards get a rethink
September 9, 2022
Boards are changing how they operate, especially given the many management challenges of the past few years.
Greener pastures?
September 8, 2022
Many workers aren’t just considering a job change—they’re leaving industries entirely.
Tech investments drive performance
September 7, 2022
From adoption of the public cloud to company-wide data strategy, top-performing companies are investing heavily in key technology capabilities and their own tech assets, compared with their peers.
China’s AI potential
September 6, 2022
Over the next decade, the artificial intelligence market in China will provide a $600 billion opportunity, according to McKinsey analysis.
Good enough for government work
September 5, 2022
Banking. Car insurance. Airlines. Contacting those industries for customer support may not elicit warm, fuzzy feelings for some people.
Fuels of the future?
September 2, 2022
Investments in sustainable fuels—which include biofuels such as hydrotreated vegetable oil and synthetic fuels such as ammonia or methanol—are gaining momentum.
Patent pursuits
September 1, 2022
China appears to be at the forefront of producing quantum technology advancements.
Grappling with food system risks
August 31, 2022
Constricted food supplies as the result of geopolitical conflicts and climatic events are further straining the budgets of countries with low purchasing power.
Feeling glum? You’re not alone
August 30, 2022
Inflation is the highest it’s been in decades, and many consumers are worried.
The value of net zero
August 29, 2022
Demand for green products and services is growing strongly in categories such as energy and materials, vehicles, food, and packaging.
Sustainable supply chains
August 26, 2022
Companies are recognizing that consumers are increasingly focused on brands’ sustainability efforts—and that there are real risks associated with ignoring these concerns.
VC funding and the Black beauty industry
August 25, 2022
Black beauty brands can face challenges in building their businesses, including finding financial support during various stages of development.
Getting to greener steel
August 24, 2022
As European steelmakers look to decarbonize production, the price of natural gas and CO2 emissions could have a significant impact on the cost competitiveness of greener options.
School yourself on space junk
August 23, 2022
Roughly 11,000 satellites have entered space since the late 1950s, and studies predict there could soon be as many as 70,000.
Next-level planning
August 22, 2022
In recent years, many companies have replaced their processes for sales and operations planning with the more sophisticated approach of integrated business planning (IBP).
Machine learning meets higher learning
August 19, 2022
Students in higher education are eager to continue using new classroom learning technologies adopted during the pandemic, according to McKinsey research.
Myth busting in marketing
August 18, 2022
Marketing budgets are flowing toward retail media networks (RMNs), which are platforms where retailers offer advertisers unique audiences and valuable data insights.
Underrepresented in revenues
August 17, 2022
Black beauty brands take in only 2.4 percent of revenue in the overall beauty market in the United States.
Doubling down on innovation
August 15, 2022
Biopharmaceutical outperformers tend to double down on early innovation.
Chip crunch
August 12, 2022
The gap between semiconductor supply and demand has widened across multiple semiconductor-enabled products.
Net-zero obstacles ahead
August 11, 2022
The remaining carbon budget available to keep global warming below 1.5°C is nearly gone, and some of the interdependencies required for staying on the path to net zero make its achievement tenuous.
Indexing immunity
August 10, 2022
A community’s current level of risk from COVID-19 depends, in part, on the immunity of its members.
Virtual worlds, real money
August 9, 2022
Brands are still sorting out how best to do business in the metaverse.
Moving on up
August 8, 2022
Taking new roles at work usually means more responsibilities—and bigger rewards.
The burnout continues
August 5, 2022
Despite HR professionals making employee mental health a top priority, their efforts are falling short.
Let’s meet in the metaverse
August 4, 2022
The metaverse—a virtual-reality space in which users can interact—is a far-off concept for some consumers and industry experts who anticipate it will be a fleeting fad.
Affordability is top of mind
August 3, 2022
European consumers have increasingly been opting for more affordable retailers.
A worker’s worth
August 2, 2022
On-the-job training has an impact that is felt through a worker’s lifetime.
Should I stay or should I go?
August 1, 2022
Nurses considering changing positions pay particular attention to five factors: a safe environment, work–life balance, caring and trusting teammates, doing meaningful work, and a flexible work schedule, according to a recent McKinsey survey.
Looking in the mirror
July 29, 2022
Black beauty brands should be in a prime position to gain more business, but they face barriers.
Trade winds
July 28, 2022
From the second quarter of 2020 through the first quarter of 2021, Chinese imports to the United Kingdom steadily increased.
Out-of-this-world aspirations
July 27, 2022
The United States still leads the way in spending on space exploration, but it’s far from the only significant player.
Toxic exodus
July 26, 2022
Toxic workplace behavior is the biggest predictor of employee burnout symptoms and intent to leave, according to our research.
Greener ventures
July 25, 2022
Opportunities for sustainability-themed start-ups are on the rise, thanks to advances in technology, government-funded financing, and regulatory policies.
Paycheck pinch
July 22, 2022
Real wages had been flat for several years in most OECD countries until just before the pandemic.
Prices through the roof
July 21, 2022
Prior to the onset of inflation this year, housing prices in many countries were already climbing, largely due to pandemic-fueled demand and a dearth of inventory.
Commodities costs see widespread gains
July 20, 2022
Supply chains under pressure due to the pandemic became further strained after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Paying more to fill plates
July 19, 2022
Basic food prices are trending upward as the result of boosted fertilizer costs and other impacts from the conflict in Ukraine.
Double trouble
July 18, 2022
Inflation jumped globally in the past six months, and in some nations it has more than doubled the predictions from December 2021.
Gloomy economic view
July 15, 2022
With today’s geopolitical instability, inflation, and supply chain disruptions, economic pessimism is on par with the early months of the pandemic.
Greening grocers
July 14, 2022
Grocers are in a unique position to help lead on sustainability.
Shifting concerns for European consumers
July 13, 2022
Anxieties have started to shift away from the pandemic—and toward new concerns—for European consumers.
Fashion doubles down on tech
July 12, 2022
Fashion companies believe technology could create a competitive edge.
Solving for net zero
July 11, 2022
The sectors that produce the majority of global greenhouse-gas emissions face a steep challenge to decarbonize, but our research shows that solutions are within reach.
Make that application shine
July 8, 2022
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law directs $470 billion in new spending toward state and local governments.
What goes up, slowly comes down
July 7, 2022
The manufacturing process for semiconductors creates gases that enter the atmosphere and persist there for years—or tens of thousands of years.
Eyeing an uptick in risk
July 6, 2022
Banks across the globe saw a rise in increased credit risk exposures (stage 2 assets) and in expected credit losses as the COVID-19 pandemic wore on.
A quantum leap for the planet?
July 5, 2022
Meeting net-zero goals won’t be possible without huge advances in climate technology.
Tempered expectations
July 1, 2022
Over the past year, Americans have become increasingly pessimistic about their access to economic opportunity—and women are generally more pessimistic than men.
Sustainable sources for fabs
June 30, 2022
Semiconductor manufacturers are factoring in sustainability considerations as they map out locations for their fabrication plants (fabs).
Corporations take a stand
June 29, 2022
The corporate sector reacted swiftly to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Storage as a power play
June 28, 2022
The variability of wind and solar power creates a need to balance supply and demand.
Diverse building blocks
June 27, 2022
An estimated 10,000 businesses owned by minorities, women, LGBTQ+ people, veterans, and people with disabilities earn at least $10 million annually.
Charging for charges
June 24, 2022
For Electric Vehicles to go mainstream, the United States will need to build an extensive network of charging solutions, growing from the approximate 100,000 public chargers currently accessible to about 1.2 million by 2030.
War and the net-zero transition
June 23, 2022
The war in Ukraine is affecting global trade and could complicate the net-zero transition.
Supporting the well-being of frontline workers
June 22, 2022
Frontline workers ranked greater recognition for their work and more breaks as helpful for well-being, according to a McKinsey survey of nurses in six countries.
The revolution is digital
June 21, 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic led to rapid and extreme digitization in many sectors, as organizations moved from technology enablement of legacy operations to full digitization.
Dealing with disruption
June 20, 2022
Resilient organizations bounce back better—and even thrive—during times of disruption.
Race and quality of care
June 17, 2022
Black and Latino patients are five times and three times, respectively, more likely than White patients to report that their race negatively impacts the quality of healthcare they receive.
Ramping up recycling
June 16, 2022
Advanced recycling expands the types of plastics that can be recycled, allowing for the creation of polymers that can be reformed and reused.
Value and values
June 15, 2022
Inflation is weighing on buying decisions for all generations of US consumers, but environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues aren’t off the table, particularly for younger groups.
Two scoops of ethical ice cream, please
June 14, 2022
When it comes to dairy products, consumers put a premium on ethical claims.
Careers constrained
June 13, 2022
Working mothers miss out on career advancement more often than employed dads.
Diagnosis? Stalled growth
June 10, 2022
Creating value in medtech has become a challenge, particularly for large diversified companies.
Millennials go organic
June 9, 2022
During the pandemic consumers increasingly sought healthier food, particularly millennials.
All in
June 8, 2022
In 2021, many top petrochemical players made emissions reduction goals and announced investments in advanced recycling projects.
Customer service without the call
June 7, 2022
Digital interactions are ubiquitous, and industrial-service organizations haven’t dodged this trend.
Power forward
June 6, 2022
The transition to a lower-carbon energy system will accelerate in the coming decades.
America’s net-zero shift
June 3, 2022
It will not be easy for the United States to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
Convenient but costly
June 2, 2022
E-commerce has to offer more than convenience to keep grocery shoppers coming back.
Spread the creativity
June 1, 2022
When designers work within collaborative teams good things tend to happen.
A new high for low-emissions cars
May 31, 2022
To keep postindustrial warming below 1.5°C by the end of the century, new-car sales of low-emission vehicles will need to increase from today’s sales figures of 5 percent to almost 100 percent by 2050.
Working moms bear the care burden
May 27, 2022
Many working moms in the United States pointed to the same cause for deciding to leave their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic: childcare that is unaffordable or unavailable.
A taste for home delivery
May 26, 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic opened avenues of convenience for many grocery shoppers.
These countries are driving lithium production
May 25, 2022
The largest lithium reserves are found in Latin America and Australia.
The art of talent retention
May 24, 2022
Designers tend to stick around when they’re embedded in collaborative teams.
Healthy people could lead to healthier economies
May 23, 2022
When viewed from a societal perspective, musculoskeletal, mental-health, and neurological disorders combined drive the largest health burden.
All chips are on the table
May 20, 2022
With demand for chips continuing to outstrip supply, strong growth is possible for all semiconductor companies, regardless of size.
A little help from hybrid
May 19, 2022
Organizations are still figuring out the best ways to make flexible workplace models meet the needs of their workers, but some benefits are beginning to emerge.
Charging ahead
May 18, 2022
The automotive industry’s focus on autonomous driving, connected cars, electric vehicles, and shared mobility (ACES) is prompting automotive suppliers to adapt.
Make way for new players
May 17, 2022
In 2020, some 70 percent of new clinical trials were sponsored by smaller pharma companies, up from 60 percent in 2016.
We’ve only just begun
May 16, 2022
FemTech companies typically build largely tech-enabled, consumer-centric solutions addressing women’s health.
Yields sign
May 13, 2022
Inflation has accelerated in many economies.
The CFO’s growing influence
May 12, 2022
The role of the chief financial officer is expanding.
Stuck in neutral
May 11, 2022
Women employed in the healthcare sector have seen success, but like so many other industries, their progress in representation drops as they aim for higher levels in the pipeline.
Right on the money
May 10, 2022
Greater demand for goods and services has put workers in a more powerful position—leading to wage rates in the private sector that are double those before the pandemic.
Helping rural America thrive
May 9, 2022
Economic development strategies for rural communities in the United States must come from a tailored approach, depending on the needs and makeup of various regions.
Pain in the boat
May 6, 2022
The shipping industry continues to feel the effects of pandemic lockdowns, labor shortages, and demand for goods.
Let’s go to the mall
May 5, 2022
Online spending shows no signs of slowing down, but retail merchant leaders expect brick-and-mortar stores will remain crucial parts of consumers’ shopping habits in the next year, according to a recent McKinsey survey.
Greener beams
May 4, 2022
The net-zero transition could result in a transformation of the world’s built environment, along with related industrial assets.
Gloomy days ahead?
May 3, 2022
Geopolitical conflicts loom large for executives.
Waste not, want not
May 2, 2022
California has a clothing conundrum.
The cost of dining out
April 29, 2022
Whether you’re eating in or dining out, food prices are on the rise.
Airline values in a tailspin
April 28, 2022
Even before COVID-19, airlines outside North America struggled with losses.
With patients come great rewards
April 27, 2022
Patient-centric healthcare models are meant to be convenient, transparent, and personalized—and they often lead to more satisfied consumers.
Lost time
April 26, 2022
The pandemic has disrupted student learning, with meaningful disparities across and within regions.
Growth spurt
April 25, 2022
Embedded systems—the combination of software and electrical components—are becoming more integral than ever to the automotive industry.
What’s driving the semiconductor market
April 22, 2022
With chip demand set to rise over the coming decade, the global semiconductor industry is poised to become a trillion-dollar industry by 2030.
Onward and upward
April 21, 2022
After a year of pandemic-driven turbulence, private markets fundraising rebounded to new heights.
Lives lost, livelihoods disrupted
April 20, 2022
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has caused a humanitarian crisis.
Experiencing some turbulence
April 19, 2022
The pandemic has been tough on the aviation industry.
A $247 billion opportunity
April 18, 2022
Going virtual could equate to a big shift in spending in healthcare services.
Follow the tech leaders
April 15, 2022
Companies with tech leaders involved in business strategy tend to have higher performing IT organizations.
Big deal? Focus on revenue growth
April 14, 2022
Companies pursuing large M&A deals can increase their chances of success by considering one of a few actions, such as focusing on revenue growth.
Growth engine no more?
April 13, 2022
As the automotive sector shifts toward electric vehicles (EVs), the growth of many internal combustion engine (ICE) product lines could see double-digit declines.
A new funding stream
April 12, 2022
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) provides $550 billion in new funding to rebuild core infrastructure in the US.
Innovation ain’t easy
April 8, 2022
The insurance industry has a lot to gain through innovation, and C-suite leaders ranked it as one of their top two priorities in a 2020 survey.
Bargain hunting abroad
April 7, 2022
The pandemic has accelerated online purchases and package deliveries, with shoppers increasingly buying goods from foreign markets.
An app a day?
April 6, 2022
In Germany, health apps have taken off during the pandemic.
Flights of fancy delivery
April 5, 2022
Your next online order might be airborne.
Arrivals and departures
April 4, 2022
Workers are on the move, for a number of reasons.
A clean-fuels future
March 31, 2022
As the energy sector transitions to net zero, some gas utilities in the United States could be uniquely positioned to convert their infrastructure into clean-fuels networks.
Supply chain planning—streamlined
March 30, 2022
Consumer behaviors and brand loyalty shifted with the arrival of the pandemic, pushing the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry to pursue better supply chain planning methods, such as automated digital systems.
All the right moves
March 29, 2022
Chief human resources officers (CHROs) across Europe and the US are envisioning a new operating model for HR.
Green steely resolve
March 28, 2022
Many companies are committing to lowering their carbon footprints but first need to find the resources to do so.
Risk abounds. How ready are companies?
March 25, 2022
We asked European leaders in eight industries about the relevance of various risk types and other characteristics to their companies.
China makes, the world takes
March 24, 2022
If you’re a logistics provider, chances are 2021 was a profitable year.
A used-car conundrum
March 23, 2022
The transition to electric mobility has accelerated in parts of sub-Saharan Africa.
Keep in touch
March 22, 2022
Sixty years after the world first heard about “power by the hour,” aftermarket services is still an underexplored sourced of revenue for many companies.
Taking carbon out of carmaking
March 21, 2022
Road transport is a huge contributor to global emissions of greenhouse gases.
Mapping public transportation’s pain points
March 18, 2022
For members of at-risk groups, using public transportation can be a stressful and scary experience.
Spreadsheet jockeys, hang up your spurs
March 16, 2022
Even before congested ports and parts and labor shortages began to snarl supply chains in 2020, companies needed to update their supply-chain technology.
IRL versus URL
March 15, 2022
There is a growing disconnect between patients and physicians when it comes to telehealth.
Cutting class—often
March 14, 2022
Chronic absenteeism has soared for students since the onset of the pandemic, more than doubling from 8 percent prepandemic to 22 percent in fall 2021.
Pipe dreams no more
March 10, 2022
Aging water systems in the United States are in line for significant upgrades.
New York state of mind
March 9, 2022
Compared with White residents, New York City’s racial and ethnic minorities have higher behavioral health needs.
The growing education gap
March 8, 2022
Education inequities that existed prepandemic were exacerbated as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.
Socially conscious shoppers
March 7, 2022
When it comes to shopping, inclusive consumers rely more on social media, word of mouth recommendations, and are inspired by the stories of the founders behind brands they admire.
B2Bs seize the right sales mix
March 4, 2022
B2B companies are hedging their bets on omnichannel sales.
Outpatient care without leaving the couch
March 3, 2022
Shifting medical treatment for Medicare beneficiaries from in-person facilities to care at home is possible with the right capabilities in place.
The latest word in industrial efficiency
March 2, 2022
Say, Mr. or Ms. Factory Owner—what would you give to achieve a 10 percent increase in efficiency?
Paper or plastic?
March 1, 2022
Consumers in India and Indonesia are willing to pay more for sustainable packaging in packaged food, followed by consumers in China and Brazil.
Digital attackers bring it on
February 28, 2022
Would you buy mobile service from FUNK, or yallo swype?
Look inward, not outward
February 25, 2022
More companies are building talent internally rather than externally.
Machines that teach themselves
February 24, 2022
When machines can adjust their performance autonomously based on historical and real-time data, that’s machine intelligence (MI).
The doctor is in—the video call
February 23, 2022
More patients than ever were willing to try virtual health services after COVID-19 emerged.
A natural bounty
February 22, 2022
Many countries possess rich stocks of so-called natural capital such as ample sunlight and wind, forestland, mineral resources, and CO2 sequestration potential.
A sale with a click, not a handshake
February 21, 2022
The notion that corporate buyers prefer face-to-face transactions with B2B companies is no longer.
The cost will not be net zero
February 18, 2022
How much will the net-zero transition cost?
Investors boldly spending on space ventures
February 17, 2022
For about a decade, investors have funneled money into small satellites and other ventures in low-Earth orbit.
Women leaders continue to feel the burn of burnout
February 16, 2022
Compared with men, senior women leaders report higher rates of burnout, chronic stress, and exhaustion.
Digital slam dunk
February 15, 2022
The sporting-goods industry has already returned to pre-COVID-19 growth levels.
Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines
February 14, 2022
With disruption comes opportunity, especially for those that can move quickly.
Smooth operator
February 11, 2022
The cultural differences among people in various regions often play into the types of aesthetic treatments that patients select, according to results of our recent consumer survey.
Running hot
February 10, 2022
Economies around the world grew quickly in 2021: 5.7 percent in the US, 8.1 percent in China, 5.2 percent in the eurozone, 9 percent in India.
Green shipping won’t be cheap
February 9, 2022
In 2019, some 65 million metric tons of iron ore were exported from Australian mines to Japanese steelmakers.
Gen Z reluctant to seek behavioral-health help
February 8, 2022
The Generation Z population is more likely to have behavioral-health needs than other age groups but is less likely to seek treatment, according to recent McKinsey surveys.
Private players stake their place in space
February 7, 2022
While the US government still funds the biggest chunk of space-sector R&D, private companies are increasing their investments.
How may I assist you today?
February 4, 2022
Across industries, live conversations between customers and customer-service agents still represent the majority of all incoming call-center volume, and projections suggest that these calls aren’t going away anytime soon.
The price of civilization
February 3, 2022
As the scientist Amory Lovins once observed, people don’t want energy; they want hot showers and cold beer.
B2B still ordering in analog
February 2, 2022
Consumers are accustomed to getting nearly anything they want online thanks to the proliferation of e-commerce.
Banks get bypassed
February 1, 2022
In the new edition of McKinsey’s Global Annual Banking Review, we look at the industry’s great divergence.
Is that covered?
January 31, 2022
Our survey of 3,000 US workers finds that diverse employees at all income levels are more likely to say they do not qualify for or are not sure if they qualify for major benefits, such as health insurance, ancillary insurance, employee assistance programs, leave policies, and wellness benefits.
Work smarter not harder
January 28, 2022
Pharma and medtech companies that integrate a smart quality culture to their processes show high rates of lot acceptance, according to our global survey.
We’re gonna need a bigger shovel
January 27, 2022
The transition to a net-zero economy will be metal-intensive.
The price might be right
January 26, 2022
Not since the 1970s has inflation been such a central issue for companies, so finding creative ways to mitigate price increases is a dormant skill in many organizations today.
Wanted: Culturally competent doctors
January 25, 2022
Employees who said they had a preferred primary care provider (PCP) were more likely to have had “delightful” healthcare experiences; employees of color in particular were around 11 percentage points more likely to have had “delightful” experiences if they had a PCP.
Filler up
January 24, 2022
Some people are showing no hesitation about getting a jab—of aesthetic injectables.
Driven by climate change
January 21, 2022
Climate-change concerns are expected to drive a significant rise in electric- and hybrid-vehicle sales across Asia by the end of this decade.
Bailing for better benefits
January 20, 2022
In our survey of nearly 3,000 US workers, 30 percent or more of Black, Hispanic and Latino, LGBTQ+, and younger employees said they had considered switching employers to get better benefits—even when they had access to the same benefits as other colleagues.
Patently inferior?
January 19, 2022
The United Kingdom has always had a reputation for scientific excellence, with world-class universities and Nobel laureates by the dozen.
More women in the workforce: Key to higher GDP in CEE
January 18, 2022
Women are underrepresented in corporate leadership across Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).
Holding back their whole selves
January 17, 2022
In a culture that still largely views gender on binary terms, transgender people in America face unique challenges in the job-application process.
Lean on me
January 14, 2022
Women are doing the lion’s share of the emotional labor at work, providing support for colleagues and checking in on others’ well-being.
Growth is elusive for many Black-owned brands
January 13, 2022
Despite rising demand and a clear consumer call for change, Black brands encounter outsize challenges to scaling and meeting the demand.
Wheels down, most people prefer this vehicle
January 12, 2022
Across the globe, hopping on a bike (either electric or traditional) is how most people prefer to get to work.
Money matters
January 11, 2022
On the philanthropy circuit, supporting the climate and adjacencies is at the bottom of the giving list.
Riding the resignation wave
January 10, 2022
The turnover tsunami sweeping over the workforce is carrying with it more parents of color than their White colleagues.
Start me up
January 7, 2022
Greater support of and investment in German start-ups could generate value up to €2.3 trillion by 2030—a boost from the €1 trillion estimated on its current trajectory.
Give me a break
January 6, 2022
Better output by working less?
New business on board
January 5, 2022
There may not be a perfect time to start a new business, but parents seem more inclined to take the plunge than their nonparent colleagues.
It’s quicker to build inventories than factories
January 4, 2022
The supply-chain woes choking world trade are well known.
Office space
January 3, 2022
The uptick in remote and hybrid work is causing organizations to rethink how they use their office space.
Hail yes to more mobility
December 22, 2021
Ride-hailing services are upending the mobility sector in Asia.
Omicron: A new and uncertain chapter in COVID-19
December 21, 2021
Three factors will determine the real-world impact of the Omicron variant: the extent to which it can evade the immunity developed by those who have been vaccinated or previously infected by other variants, its inherent infectiousness, and the severity of disease it causes.
C-suite inaccessible for many transgender workers
December 20, 2021
Transgender employees in corporate America see few opportunities for upward advancement, according to results of a recent McKinsey survey.
High-tech solutions for the net-zero equation
December 17, 2021
Advanced technologies are key to decarbonization, and there are climate-technology needs that have yet to be realized.
House proud
December 16, 2021
McKinsey Global Institute’s new research proposes a new way of looking at the world’s wealth: the balance sheet.
Transgender people twice as likely to be unemployed
December 15, 2021
Transgender people continue to face stigma and discrimination, despite gains in public visibility.
How we hoarded
December 14, 2021
In the pandemic, consumers bought everything online.
A tale of three US consumers
December 13, 2021
In the depths of the pandemic, lower-income consumers accelerated their spending, while medium- and high-income consumers pulled back.
Murphy’s Law: Pharma edition
December 10, 2021
In time, whatever can go wrong, will.
Who crashed banking’s party?
December 9, 2021
In financial services, outperformers have gained $1.3 trillion in market cap since March 2020.
Early birds grab the goods
December 8, 2021
American consumers are shopping earlier for the holidays this year.
License to bill
December 7, 2021
Digital banks are popping up everywhere.
Big challenges in the Big Apple
December 6, 2021
As one of the first epicenters of the global COVID-19 pandemic, New York City was hit early and hard.
Breaking down billions
December 3, 2021
No time to read the new legislation’s 2,700 pages?
Semiconductors bring back the sizzle
December 2, 2021
The semiconductor sector’s profits are climbing, both absolutely and relative to other industries, and show no signs of slowing.
Crazy for crypto but allergic to risk?
December 1, 2021
For the risk-averse, stablecoins—multiple private, stabilized cryptocurrencies—are a less volatile form of digital currency.
Women see broken rungs on the asset-management ladder
November 30, 2021
Women have a tough time getting a foothold on the corporate ladder in financial services overall but particularly in the asset-management sector.
Seeking e-commerce superstars
November 29, 2021
The bar for entry in the world of e-commerce is low, but outsize ROIs are rare.
The ship has sailed but many US shoppers won’t wait
November 26, 2021
As supply-chain woes persist, retailers are faced with waning customer loyalty this holiday season.
It tastes just like chicken—or beef, or pork
November 24, 2021
Ever wonder what it takes to produce cultivated meat in a lab?
Up, up, and away
November 23, 2021
Fifteen percent of the companies we surveyed successfully migrated most of their applications to the cloud on time and on budget.
We put out an APB on APIs
November 22, 2021
Application programming interfaces (APIs) rule the world of e-commerce.
In semiconductors, the strong are getting stronger
November 19, 2021
Microchip makers leading the industry widened the profit gap between themselves and laggards to a staggering 400 percent over the past two decades.
Powering down emissions
November 18, 2021
If the US is to meet its stated goal of decarbonizing the power sector, two things would have to happen.
Hedgehogs 1, Foxes 0
November 17, 2021
As a wise man once said, foxes know many things, but hedgehogs know one big thing.
Not sustainable, not inclusive
November 16, 2021
US wages have flatlined since 1979; labor’s share of national income has also declined.
Pandemic now an ‘also-ran’ in economic worries
November 15, 2021
Inflation and supply-chain disruptions have overtaken the COVID-19 pandemic itself as the biggest potential hindrance to domestic and corporate growth, according to executives in the latest McKinsey Global Survey.
The medtech marketing future will be digitized
November 12, 2021
Like many industries, medtech companies shifted to omnichannel strategies as the result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sprinting through marathons
November 11, 2021
As we’ve seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, when leaders and the organization align to act, rapid change can actually happen.
Make way for the golden age of transport infrastructure
November 10, 2021
Significant transport infrastructure spending is on the horizon.
American ‘sandwich generation’ caregivers suffer the most
November 9, 2021
Those who are a parent and a caregiver of an adult report the highest rate of mental-health symptoms, reporting high levels of anxiety, COVID-19 TSRD (trauma- and stressor-related disorder), and alarmingly, a full 52 percent experienced “active suicidal ideation,” sometimes referred to as serious suicidal thoughts.
Turbulence in the global payments pool
November 8, 2021
Global payment revenues have been on a downward trajectory as the result of the pandemic.
Batteries for the grid: A box of sunshine
November 5, 2021
Solar (and wind) power is essential for a decarbonizing power sector.
Less waste, fuller plates
November 4, 2021
Globally, up to 811 million people faced hunger last year, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.
What goes up must come down—right?
November 3, 2021
Two possibilities for Africa’s greenhouse gas emissions, two radically different paths.
Silent but deadly
November 2, 2021
Methane gets second billing in climate-change discussions, but it’s a huge problem, accounting for 30 percent of the planet’s rise in temperature.
Secondhand style is in
October 29, 2021
During the COVID-19 pandemic, customers in Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom bought and sold fashion and family items (such as toys) the most.
Put a ring on it
October 28, 2021
Our research shows that leaders who commit to organizational health measures have a 35 percent higher total returns to shareholders (TRS) over an 18-month period compared with those that don’t.
Satellites live long. Who prospers?
October 27, 2021
Commercial trips to space continue, with William Shatner as the most recent suborbital space guest on a Blue Origin mission.
Banks: Stuck in the middle
October 26, 2021
After some big stock-market gyrations, banks may be wondering whose company they’re keeping.
Rule, Britannia
October 25, 2021
We studied the top 1,000 European tech start-ups founded after 2000 in 33 countries.
These women experience the highest levels of workplace microaggressions
October 22, 2021
Microaggressions—such having one’s judgment questioned—are more commonly experienced by women of color, women with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ women than men and women overall in professional settings.
Chunks of change
October 21, 2021
Getting groups of employees on board in company transformations is a key to success—not only for the business itself.
Space now a trashy place
October 20, 2021
As large as space stations or as small as a fleck of paint, about 27,000 pieces of space debris are floating through orbit.
Sounding ‘ponds, rivers, and rapids’ in corporate strategy
October 19, 2021
More isn’t always better.
The great attrition stems from a great disconnect
October 18, 2021
There’s a clear disconnect between why employers think their employees are leaving and the actual reasons behind employee exits.
Still struggling: Not enough women in the C-suite
October 15, 2021
From entry-level to the C-suite, women remain underrepresented in corporate America.
Delta and its discontents
October 14, 2021
Last quarter, just 36 percent of respondents to our global executive survey cited the pandemic as a risk to domestic growth over the next year—the smallest share to say so since we began asking in March 2020.
Machines need ‘on the job training’ too
October 13, 2021
Operationalizing machine learning depends on a solid data set that the underlying algorithms can analyze and learn from.
OEMs rock down to Electric Avenue
October 12, 2021
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, sales of electric vehicles (EVs) surged.
Want employees to stick around? Get this right
October 11, 2021
Executives who mishandle the transition to a hybrid-work model or fail to offer one are at risk of losing otherwise satisfied employees.
Serving suburbia
October 8, 2021
While city dwellers have an advantage when it comes to variety and efficient food delivery, increasingly, those who live in the suburbs and in rural areas are keen to click and eat, too.
Leadership roles remain out of reach for many women of color
October 7, 2021
Every step of the way, women of color lag behind men and White women on the corporate ladder, leaving them severely underrepresented at the executive level.
A cleaning task that’s out of this world
October 6, 2021
With space exploration comes space junk.
Meet your new colleague
October 5, 2021
Robots replacing humans?
Exit strategy? Check
October 4, 2021
In the US alone, more than 15 million workers have quit their jobs since April 2021.
To be precise
October 1, 2021
Smaller US manufacturers have a hard time keeping pace with their bigger brothers.
Mining the C-suite for women leaders
September 30, 2021
Shattering the glass ceiling is a feat for women in many industries, but in mining this effort is particularly challenging.
The mothers of invention
September 29, 2021
After World War II, companies came up with dishwashers and clothes dryers to assist working women.
Streamlining submissions for faster drug approvals
September 28, 2021
The development of vaccines for COVID-19 made clear the value of being first to market.
COVID-19: How does it compare with other diseases?
September 27, 2021
As countries make the transition from viewing COVID-19 as a special threat to managing it as an endemic disease, it may be helpful to compare the progress of the pandemic with other health conditions that countries have grown comfortable in managing.
R&D ramp up: Investments expected to intensify in China
September 24, 2021
Chinese companies have strong commercial and political incentives to reduce their reliance on overseas innovation performance for the core technologies in their products.
Why women are hanging up their hardhats
September 23, 2021
Women across tenures report having few opportunities for advancement in the mining industry and lack of intellectual challenge, causing many to leave the industry entirely.
Short sprints for big reductions
September 22, 2021
Shifting to agile ways of working could be a boon for manufacturing.
Everyone’s a critic
September 21, 2021
Well, not everyone.
COVID-19 hospitalizations: Where we are now
September 20, 2021
Hospitalizations from COVID-19 have risen recently.
How to flex your fluxiness muscle
September 17, 2021
Being outside our comfort zone can be uncomfortable.
A transition toward normalcy is possible
September 16, 2021
Our scenario analysis suggests that the US, Canada, and many European countries would likely have reached herd immunity by now if they had faced only the ancestral SARS-CoV-2 virus and if a high percentage of those eligible to receive the vaccine had chosen to take it.
Consumers in US, Europe, and China spending like it’s 2019
September 15, 2021
Retail spending is reaching prepandemic norms.
For Chinese R&D leaders, it’s all about agile
September 14, 2021
Executives in our latest China Product Development survey identified their top three priorities to improve R&D processes over the next five years.
Stars in their ayes
September 13, 2021
Yes, some customer reviews are false, and yes, companies have been known to manipulate star ratings.
If you build it, they will ride
September 10, 2021
We assessed transport systems in 25 cities worldwide.
Too many Black Americans live in food deserts
September 9, 2021
In majority-Black communities, the prevalence of convenience stores means limited access to fresh, healthy food options.
How data breaches are focusing minds
September 7, 2021
The threat of consequences drives some industries—particularly banking and healthcare—to strengthen their cybersecurity efforts.
B2B selling: Business to business, or back to basics?
August 20, 2021
Many OEMs have to do a better job of understanding what customers want and need.
New roads for chip procurement
August 19, 2021
Amid global shortages, auto manufacturers are rethinking how they source the chips needed to help drivers brake swiftly, fuse laser and LiDAR data to detect objects, and other automated activities.
Whose meritocracy is it, anyway?
August 18, 2021
“Black is cool now, but what if in a few years racial equity is not at the top of my employer’s concerns? Will they tell me that I can go now?”
Layaway 2.0: Take home now, pay later with no interest fees
August 17, 2021
You’ve seen the offers, online and in stores: pay now, or pay later in four easy installments.
Companies play catch-up on cybersecurity
August 16, 2021
Companies’ cybersecurity measures aren’t keeping pace with today’s business environment demands.
Inflation comes back to life
August 13, 2021
As the global economy emerges from the worst of the pandemic, strong growth is back—and so is inflation.
Fashion’s bias cut
August 12, 2021
Almost a quarter of fashion employees say they have seen biased behavior in the workplace, usually based on race, ethnicity, or appearance.
How India Inc. could write a new chapter
August 11, 2021
Indian companies could unlock substantial value by selling businesses, and now may be a particularly propitious time to divest.
Biotech booms
August 10, 2021
Biotech companies continue to grow and attract major funding from both public and private sources.
Savings skyrocketed as Americans locked down
August 9, 2021
Americans’ personal-savings rate hovered just below 10 percent in the months before the onset of the pandemic.
HBCUs propel grads up the American economic ladder
August 6, 2021
Graduates of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) climb the economic ladder at rates well above those of their non-HBCU-graduate peers.
Mental health stigma persists
August 5, 2021
Experience matters.
All alone
August 4, 2021
People of color in fashion often feel like they do not belong.
Four essentials for hybrid work
August 3, 2021
During the pandemic, about 50 percent of the companies in our dataset increased performance, while the rest saw no meaningful change or decreases.
Sales soared–if you had the goods online
August 2, 2021
Retailers saw business go up during the COVID-19 pandemic, but not all subsectors of the industry had success.
Go your own way
July 30, 2021
Only once since 2005 had the US recorded 340,000 new business applications in a month.
Brand loyalty is on the wane
July 29, 2021
Across ASEAN (and other parts of the world too), consumers proved much more willing to try new brands during the pandemic.
Space tourism, you’re go for launch
July 28, 2021
Two billionaires soared into suborbital space in separate trips this month, ushering in a new era of space exploration for private citizens.
Et tu, e-tail?
July 27, 2021
Digitally forward retailers are expanding their lead over laggards.
Houston, we have a problem
July 26, 2021
Two new McKinsey surveys reveal a stark contrast.
Open season
July 23, 2021
Regulators worldwide have encouraged open banking.
Growth to the rescue
July 22, 2021
World governments have taken on significant debt to fight COVID-19.
The Tokyo Olympics: One thing that can’t be automated
July 21, 2021
The eyes of the world are locked on Tokyo for the 2020 (or, if you prefer, 2021) Summer Olympics.
Risk premiums are overrated
July 20, 2021
Our new analysis suggests that country risk premiums are often set too high by industry analysts, leading to overvaluation—and missed investment opportunities.
Digital healthcare: All talk, (mostly) no action
July 19, 2021
While a majority of healthcare consumers say they prefer digital tools across all healthcare-related activities, the percentage of consumers who actually use digital tools remains low.
Premiums for proteins
July 16, 2021
It won’t be easy or quick to cut production costs for cultivated meat.
Free the data, unleash growth
July 15, 2021
New research from McKinsey Global Institute finds that the potential value of open financial data for a country ranges up to 5 percent of GDP, depending on economic structure and levels of financial access.
A sure thing?
July 14, 2021
With US vaccine rates and employment levels rising, economic uncertainty has fallen sharply and lost the paralyzing grip it held in the early part of the pandemic.
Balancing book smarts with soft skills
July 13, 2021
Cognitive skills seem to bring bigger paychecks, but soft skills also matter, especially when it comes to job satisfaction and employment.
Resolved: Digital makes a difference
July 12, 2021
Is technology truly a differentiator in business?
Cheap eats
July 9, 2021
In less than a decade, companies have been able to reduce the production costs of cultivated meat by 99 percent.
One way to lift GDP substantially
July 8, 2021
Checks, ATM withdrawals, insurance payments—financial data take many forms.
Leaders brace for supply-chain setbacks
July 7, 2021
Economic recovery is gathering steam, but supply-chain disruptions could stand in its way.
Make friends with the trends
July 6, 2021
As all things digital continue to accelerate, which technology trends matter most for companies and executives?
What is and what could be
July 2, 2021
If Black-owned businesses operated at parity with others, they would generate $1.6 trillion more than they do today.
The real thing
July 1, 2021
Today, the world primarily eats the meat of animals that are the easiest to farm industrially.
Are we heading into a new era of prosperity?
June 30, 2021
History suggests that there are essentially two types of economic expansions after recession: those that see GDP grow by 10 to 20 percent cumulatively in postcrisis years, and those that see 30 to 50 percent cumulative growth.
Men think childcare is affordable. Women don’t.
June 29, 2021
When it comes to the affordability of childcare, men have a much rosier report.
A new look at how national economies work
June 28, 2021
McKinsey Global Institute looked at the value generated by eight kinds of companies.
Putting people over process
June 25, 2021
Chief human-resource officers in Europe are leery about what has been lost in the focus on cost-efficiency mandates.
The widening divide
June 24, 2021
The deep division between US rural and urban communities could get worse.
The soft underbelly of postpandemic businesses
June 23, 2021
In our newest McKinsey Global Survey on digital strategy, more than a thousand global business leaders pinpointed the soft spots in their businesses where digital disruption poses the biggest threat.
Agile for all is coming—but how fast?
June 22, 2021
McKinsey Global Surveys have tracked the progress of agile transformations since 2017.
Brighter days ahead
June 21, 2021
The forecast is sunny for the US economy.
Dividing the pie
June 18, 2021
New research from McKinsey Global Institute calculates the flow of economic value from large corporations to households in OECD countries over the past 25 years.
Dollars (and dinars) for digital
June 17, 2021
Our latest McKinsey Global Survey on digital strategy asked business leaders about changes in investment during the pandemic.
COVID-19 ruined finances across the US. Here’s who suffered most
June 16, 2021
Organizations that were “born” using agile practices may have gotten a jump-start on the concept, but companies that undergo highly successful agile transformations have a competitive edge when it comes to operating-model maturity.
Agile advantages
June 15, 2021
Organizations that were “born” using agile practices may have gotten a jump-start on the concept, but companies that undergo highly successful agile transformations have a competitive edge when it comes to operating-model maturity.
Digital adoption gains steam—but not for grocery
June 14, 2021
When the pandemic forced businesses to close their doors to foot traffic, industries such as utilities and insurance saw a boost of as much as 46 percent in consumer engagement with their digital channel offerings.
The fountain of youth
June 11, 2021
North American wealth management proved remarkably resilient in 2020 due to surging markets and the rise of next gen investors.
Second time right
June 10, 2021
COVID-19 tested the world’s ability to monitor and respond to an outbreak of a deadly infectious disease.
Ready, set, rebound? Not for low-income Americans
June 9, 2021
While consumer spending as a whole is set to rebound, the recovery is likely to be uneven.
Doctors dig digital channels when ordering medtech products
June 8, 2021
In 2020, doctors and other healthcare professionals shifted to digital channels to order products; use of e-procurement portals rose 20-fold since 2019.
Have it your way
June 7, 2021
How can organizations help their anxious and burned-out employees?
Equity trading’s race to zero fees
June 4, 2021
Retail investing in 2020 was a story of “Reddit bros” pushing up meme stocks on new zero-cost trading platforms.
Panic, neglect, panic, neglect: How to break the cycle
June 3, 2021
COVID-19 exposed some gaps in the world’s pandemic preparations.
Ditching the digital cart for the checkout line
June 2, 2021
Shoppers overwhelmingly took to digital channels with the onset of the pandemic.
Hopes and fears for the hybrid future
June 1, 2021
Across the board, employees are eager for more flexibility, competitive compensation, and well-being once the pandemic is over—and conversely, they’re concerned that future work, regardless of whether it is on-site or remote, will fail to meet these needs.
Vaccine development and the two-hour marathon
May 28, 2021
The mean development timeline for all new drugs (including vaccines) since 2000—from clinical testing to approval—was about ten years.
From face time to FaceTime
May 27, 2021
Most companies expected employees to come into the office before the pandemic.
Viruses as a force for good
May 26, 2021
Excitement about viral-vector gene therapies is growing.
Meet them in the middle
May 25, 2021
Employees who feel that there is purpose in their work are overall more fulfilled at work.
Heads up
May 24, 2021
Optimism is on the rise.
Clinical trials for rare cancers can struggle to find patients
May 21, 2021
Many oncological diseases have struggled to attract attention from drug developers.
Four flavors of hybrid work
May 20, 2021
Companies are still sorting out the logistics of a hybrid remote/on-site work model.
Expecting the unexpected
May 19, 2021
Disruptions due to global economic uncertainty, natural disasters, and other catastrophic events are rising in frequency.
$143.5 billion: That’s what it would cost if all the mangroves on Earth were wiped out
May 18, 2021
But the lives of the endangered animals you might encounter in a mangrove—like the uniquely striped Bengal tiger—are priceless.
The ‘double shift’ of working mothers now even longer
May 17, 2021
Mothers already take on so much more housework and childcare than men that employed mothers are often said to be working a ‘double shift.’
The changing gas station
May 14, 2021
The business mix at gas stations (or forecourts) is set for a shake-up.
Asian Americans are stressed, burned out, and exhausted
May 13, 2021
The pandemic has required many employees to adapt to new, often challenging working styles.
Sponsors wanted
May 12, 2021
Less than one-quarter of Black employees report feeling supported at work.
Soft skills, strong impacts
May 11, 2021
The pandemic has dramatically accelerated the need for new skills in the workforce, with social and emotional skills high in demand.
For working mothers, the struggle is very, very real
May 10, 2021
The impact of remote work on remote-working mothers is stark—and their levels of well-being are much lower than those of remote-working fathers.
White employees: there’s both trust and respect in our workplace. Black employees: not really
May 7, 2021
Black employees also don’t feel that they can be their full selves at work, and that the system for evaluation and promotion is fair.
Don’t stick together
May 6, 2021
In before times, Spain was a mecca for world travelers.
Looking to create more value from sustainability? Do these three things
May 5, 2021
The numbers are impressive.
Survivor 2020: Corporate edition
May 4, 2021
In the depths of the pandemic, boards’ interest in corporate resilience surged.
First things first
May 3, 2021
Vaccine manufacturing in Africa is still nascent, especially in the upstream segments of the value chain, such as antigen production and other drug-substance manufacturing processes.
It was fun in the sun
April 30, 2021
The Costa del Sol and other Spanish beaches are world-renowned and the most valuable segment of the national tourism industry.
Think Black CEOs are scarce? It’s worse than you think
April 29, 2021
Black employees aren’t being promoted to leadership positions at the same rate as others.
An economic boom is coming. But what could go wrong?
April 28, 2021
The number-one candidate to short-circuit growth is COVID-19, and it’s not particularly close, according to the latest McKinsey Global Survey.
Open for business? Developed economies are more likely to say ‘yes.’
April 27, 2021
Less than half of businesses are fully operational, according to our latest McKinsey Global Survey.
Talk to me
April 26, 2021
When it comes to the future of remote work, communication goes hand in hand with productivity.
Eating their own cooking: Chipmakers can benefit from AI
April 23, 2021
Semiconductor firms make the chips that power artificial intelligence (AI).
Will India get too hot to work?
April 22, 2021
By 2050, temperatures in some parts of northern India could surpass survivability thresholds for healthy adults.
For US consumers, price and quality outweigh environmental concerns
April 21, 2021
Our survey suggests that US buyers don’t care much about sustainability; price, brand, and quality are their main considerations.
Water, wind, heat, and rust
April 20, 2021
Infrastructure repair is the word of the day.
Green for green
April 19, 2021
Our latest consumer survey revealed that emerging Asia, along with Brazil, care the most about sustainable packaging—and are willing to pay for it.
Employee burnout is ubiquitous, alarming—and still underreported
April 16, 2021
Burnt out employees are less likely to respond to survey requests about said burnout, and the most burned-out employees may already have left the workforce.
What do 6 Tyrannosaurus Rex and asparagus have in common?
April 15, 2021
The dinosaurs weighed 58 tons—and that’s also how much asparagus gets thrown out each day in the US.
Easy come, easy go: The business practices most likely to fade after the pandemic
April 14, 2021
Home offices, Zoom instead of business class, e-commerce: these are the pandemic-related changes most likely to stick, according to our latest McKinsey Global Survey.
There are recoveries, and then there are recoveries
April 13, 2021
If business and consumers are cautious and innovation is subdued, the postpandemic recovery could look similar to the sluggish decade after the global financial crisis.
Capital markets love the mobility industry
April 12, 2021
The markets’ favored sectors, such as semiconductors and big tech, have done well over the past year and a half.
Executives, mind the purpose gap
April 9, 2021
85 percent of execs and upper management told us in a recent survey that they're living their purpose at work.
Vaccination programs plunge ahead
April 8, 2021
COVID-19 vaccine stocks are building in the EU, UK, and US.
Build that bridge: How top IT companies connect businesses and tech teams
April 7, 2021
In our latest McKinsey Global Survey on technology strategy, top performers revealed the practices that build bridges between technology and business units.
People who see people: How high mixers help spread COVID-19
April 6, 2021
Some people interact with many others in the course of a day; others see very few.
One, two, three, exhale: Europe’s vaccination supplies are on track
April 5, 2021
In Q2, the EU expects millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses to pour in from a range of manufacturers, bringing its goal of vaccinating 70 percent of adults within reach.
Just 6 percent of the writers, directors, and producers in US-produced films are Black
April 2, 2021
Black talent is underrepresented both on- and off-screen, but particularly in positions of creative control.
When two plus two does not equal four
April 1, 2021
Just 2 percent of teachers in two countries (China and Japan) said their students are four months behind schedule.
Vietnam’s travel strategy: First, do no harm
March 31, 2021
Vietnam has pursued a “zero-case-first” strategy since the start of the pandemic, which seems to be paying off.
Seven keys to herd immunity
March 30, 2021
It’s not very often that humanity has a common goal.
Top IT performers are all in on digital
March 29, 2021
Top-quartile respondents are more than four times likelier than bottom-quartile peers to have a digitally integrated or fully digital operating model, in which both digital and business-oriented teams deliver technology.
Black talent is last in, first out, and quick to be cut
March 26, 2021
Already underrepresented in the industry, Black actors, writers, directors, and producers are especially vulnerable to market shocks
Remote learning gets an “F” in poorer schools
March 25, 2021
Teachers working in poorer schools found virtual classes to be especially ineffective, rating it 3.5 out of 10.
Autonomous dinner deliveries may be headed your way
March 24, 2021
Pandemic lockdowns have increased interest in autonomous technology: in North America, many more respondents said they’d likely take food and package deliveries from autonomous vehicles.
We’ll always have Paris—as a goal
March 23, 2021
With no formal, defined global standards to price their carbon emissions, many companies are selecting values that are most useful within their own business contexts and regions—even if they are considerably lower than what’s needed to meet Paris Agreement targets.
The papas join the mamas
March 22, 2021
Hands up for the last time you saw a survey result of 100 percent.
Every which way: Leading companies exploit all four avenues of growth
March 19, 2021
The end of the COVID-19 crisis feels tantalizingly close, in some countries.
Black actors get fewer chances to break out
March 18, 2021
Emerging Black actors get an average of six leading roles in the first decade of their career, compared with their white counterparts’ nine.
Online learning gets failing grades from teachers across the globe
March 17, 2021
We asked over 2,500 teachers to rank the effectiveness of remote learning on a scale of one to ten—with one being least effective—and the average score was 4.8.
For the fashion industry and fashionistas everywhere, less is the new more.
March 16, 2021
To avoid excessive inventories and widespread markdowns—and in response to consumers' shifting preferences to longer-lasting, sustainably produced goods—fashion companies are reducing the number of SKUs and implementing more agile supply chains.
What do electric-car buyers really want?
March 15, 2021
Not leather seats or the usual bells and whistles. Instead, they’re very interested in low-emissions manufacturing and end-of-life recycling.
Jobs aren’t what they used to be
March 12, 2021
Full-time middle-income jobs are disappearing. High- and low-income jobs are on the rise.
In corporate America, Black senior leadership remains scarce
March 11, 2021
Although Black employees comprise 14 percent of all US employees, the Black workforce at the managerial level is just half of that: 7 percent.
In 2020, COVID-19 deaths were 8 times greater than a typical flu season
March 10, 2021
COVID-19 was America’s third leading cause of death in 2020.
Great migrations: How economic mobility can ease racial inequity
March 9, 2021
America’s leaders can reduce workforce inequities by helping people of color get to where the jobs are.
Mind over matter: How the world developed COVID-19 vaccines in record time
March 8, 2021
When government and the private sector fully exploit their distinct resources and capabilities, breakthrough innovation is possible.
How e-commerce share of retail soared across the globe: A look at eight countries
March 5, 2021
Online retail has been growing consistently.
The doors may be opening wider, but the halls remain narrow
March 4, 2021
On the whole, gender and racial diversity at private equity firms are stronger in entry-level positions than at the top.
Americans are willing to pay a premium for some PPE products but not all
March 3, 2021
Several categories of personal protective equipment (PPE) aren’t very differentiated, so they are susceptible to price-based competition.
Almost half of the Black US workforce is in lower-paying, frontline-service industries
March 2, 2021
In the United States, 45 percent of Black private-sector employees work in industries—healthcare, retail, and accommodation and food service—that have both large frontline-service presence and high shares of workers earning less than $30,000 annually.
Full COVID-19 vaccine courses could be available for the entire global adult population by the end of 2021
March 1, 2021
More than 14 billion doses (including 2020 doses) are planned for 2021, enough for six billion individuals—assuming that all innovators’ vaccines are successful and require two doses.
Calm down: Your work and life may depend on it
February 26, 2021
Continual, or chronic, stress can cause mood swings, reduced empathy, and impulse-control issues.
As COVID-19 surges, the top ten players own 20 percent of the online-education market in the US
February 25, 2021
Prepandemic, online education was already a driver of growth in higher education.
Just 26 percent of leaders create psychological safety for their teams
February 24, 2021
The benefits of psychological safety in the workplace—where team members feel they can take interpersonal risks and remain respected and accepted—are numerous.
Companies across sectors are putting a price on emissions
February 23, 2021
Internal carbon pricing—a charge on carbon dioxide emitted from assets and investment projects—can help companies see how, where, and when their emissions could affect their profit-and-loss (P&L) statements and investment choices.
As COVID-19 unfolded, leaders who embraced agile principles were more successful
February 22, 2021
In our survey of retail and consumer-packaged-goods executives, five of the top eight behaviors seen in successful leaders aligned with agile principles.
How you change things is just as important as what you change
February 19, 2021
New government leaders have a lot on their agendas, and little time to make things happen.
Too darn hot: South Florida could face 25 more days of swelter each year.
February 18, 2021
New information assets could help government, utilities, and infrastructure businesses target investments.
Two steps back: COVID-19 derails labor-force progress by Black Americans
February 17, 2021
After a decade-long economic expansion, Black Americans had nearly closed the gap on white Americans in labor-force participation.
“Productivity isn’t everything, but in the long run, it’s almost everything.”
February 16, 2021
Economist and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman’s aphorism remains apt for a US economy looking to rebuild.
People over 75 are 1,000 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than teenagers
February 15, 2021
Older Americans are shockingly vulnerable to the pandemic.
Across the public sector, operations and risk management could benefit greatly from a shift to the cloud
February 12, 2021
This heat map shows the value potential for cloud-based transformation processes within different government functions and highlights six potential high-impact areas—among them, health, general public services, and environmental protection.
Amid limited access to modern contraceptives, self-care in family planning can go a long way in Kenya
February 11, 2021
As defined by the WHO, self-care in family planning means the ability of individuals, families, and communities to promote and maintain sexual health and prevent unwanted pregnancies, with or without the help of healthcare providers.
From lab to jab: Global flows of COVID-19 vaccine
February 10, 2021
Europe and three countries (China, India, and the United States) will produce 90 percent of the first wave of COVID-19 vaccine doses.
COVID-19 herd immunity for America in 2021? Sure, if we can triple the pace of annual flu vaccinations
February 9, 2021
To acquire COVID-19 herd immunity, the United States needs more than three times as many vaccine doses as for the annual flu shot and twice as many doses per month as the H1N1 flu vaccine drive in 2009, mainly due to double-dose requirements for some COVID-19 vaccines.
Nearly one-fourth of UK small and medium-sized businesses will seek protection from eviction
February 8, 2021
In the United Kingdom, large numbers of small and medium-sized businesses need financial support from the government as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prepandemic employment levels for the most vulnerable, especially American women, won’t return until after 2024
February 5, 2021
Female workers will remain the most vulnerable population in the recovery from the COVID-19 crisis, as will workers who earn less than $25,000 annually and those without high-school education in the US.
A thriving market solution for emissions may be on the way
February 4, 2021
Purchasing carbon credits is one way for a company to offset emissions it is unable to eliminate.
Domestic tourists are back inside mainland China
February 3, 2021
Since the spring, China’s domestic air travel has bounced back almost completely.
Latin American executives’ confidence in the economy drops
February 2, 2021
Across the private sector in Latin America, executives’ confidence dipped in January—a stark contrast to the more optimistic outlooks reported in December.
From here to there: How Brazil and other countries deliver pandemic benefits
February 1, 2021
COVID-19 has been a tough, real-life stress test for government disbursement schemes.
See why the COVID-19 vaccine delivery path is filled with risks
January 29, 2021
In this common operating model of COVID-19-vaccine delivery in the United States, we highlight critical risk areas in every stage of the deployment process.
Outdoor sports and home exercise for the win, both during and postpandemic
January 28, 2021
In the global sports market, categories that seemed to do well during the pandemic—including individual outdoor sports, home exercise, and esports—will remain popular in 2021.
![Mind the [skills] gap](https://chrisdeasy.com/wp-content/uploads/mind-the-skills-gap-mckinsey-thumb.jpg)
Mind the [skills] gap
January 27, 2021
Most companies worldwide—87 percent—are aware that they either already have a skills gap, or will have one within a few years.
High-risk Americans could all be vaccinated by mid-2021
January 26, 2021
Moderna and Pfizer–BioNTech are expected to deliver sufficient COVID-19-vaccine doses to inoculate all high-risk Americans, including healthcare personnel, frontline workers, and long-term-care-facility residents, in the first half of 2021.
US herd immunity: Still on track for 2021, but new variants threaten the timeline
January 25, 2021
While the probability of achieving herd immunity by fall is still the most likely scenario, the rise of more contagious mutations and slower initial vaccine rollout increase the likelihood that the UK and the US will acquire herd immunity by early 2022.
Hope on the horizon for people with serious, often rare, diseases
January 22, 2021
Cell and gene therapies offer treatment, and sometimes cures, for patients with serious, often rare, and never-before-addressed diseases.
Purpose before profits? Employees say ‘yes, please’
January 21, 2021
In a recent McKinsey survey of more than 1,200 managers and frontline employees at US companies, only 42 percent felt their organizations’ purpose statements made a real difference.
Here’s what’s in the digital-transformation tool kits of companies that manage risk best
January 20, 2021
As companies go digital, they create new risks, such as loopholes that hackers can exploit.
The old one-two: Banks could lose $3.7 trillion in revenue over five years
January 19, 2021
The COVID-19 crisis will present a two-stage problem for banks.
For new federal cabinet nominees, so much to do in so little time
January 15, 2021
The average time between cabinet nomination and confirmation is about 40 days.
Be bold: Here’s how 30 top US companies are prepping for the future
January 14, 2021
We asked the top three US companies in ten different industries where they’re making the boldest moves.
In a time of crisis, investors flocked to the familiar
January 13, 2021
During the first two quarters of 2020, investors placed their faith and their dollars with large, diversified, and well-established firms.
How will you be getting around in 2030? It depends on where you live.
January 12, 2021
There won’t be much of a shift away from private vehicles in North America over the coming decade—largely because there aren’t many incentives for drivers to change their behavior.
From start-up to world-beater: HDFC Bank’s steady rise
January 11, 2021
Twenty-six years ago, Aditya Puri took charge of a new bank in Mumbai.
Low stakes: $12 billion to reduce Americans’ vaccine skepticism could add $1 trillion to economy
January 8, 2021
The US government has already spent considerable sums to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
The cost of basic necessities rose much faster than inflation this century
January 7, 2021
Housing, healthcare, and education costs have risen sharply, while discretionary costs such as communications, clothing, and furnishings have fallen.
What’s your (corporate-purpose) sweet spot?
January 6, 2021
When companies find that sweet spot where the “we” overlaps with the “me,” they, their employees, and even society greatly benefit.
When it comes to racial equity, some Fortune 1000 companies are walking the walk
January 5, 2021
Just one-third of Fortune 1000 companies made public statements on racial equity between George Floyd’s killing in May and the end of October.
Large consumer-goods brands need a 2021 playbook
January 4, 2021
The consumer-goods industry as a whole has struggled to grow profits over the last decade, and large brands are generating less sales growth than small, medium, and private-label brands.
China’s executives: The world’s most optimistic during the COVID-19 crisis
December 18, 2020
Since June, we have surveyed thousands of global executives on what the COVID-19 crisis’s impact would be on domestic GDP based on the likelihood of nine economic scenarios.
Global banks steel themselves against larger potential loan losses than seen in the Great Recession
December 17, 2020
In anticipation of a sharp increase in personal and corporate defaults due to the COVID-19 crisis, global banks have provisioned $1.15 trillion for loan losses through the third quarter of 2020—more than they did in all of 2019.
Curb your crisis: Preparing for risk today can prevent disaster tomorrow
December 16, 2020
We looked at three potential crisis scenarios across three sectors and found that pairs of companies with much—but not everything—in common could view the same risk differently.
Tokyo in trouble: Physical assets face double damage from climate change
December 15, 2020
If nothing’s done to adapt to and mitigate climate change, Tokyo would face severe costs if a one-in-100-year rainfall coincides with other major flooding events—raising the stakes from around $6 billion in damage to real estate and infrastructure today to about $13 billion in 2050.
Working parents’ worries go way beyond childcare when the pandemic closes schools
December 14, 2020
Parents are finding work more challenging than nonparents are—and it’s not just about childcare and homeschooling.
Fashion industry’s profits hemmed in by the COVID-19 pandemic
December 11, 2020
The fashion industry’s economic profit rose year-on-year by 4 percent in 2019.
American students of color are falling behind during the pandemic
December 10, 2020
Students in the US fell behind their historical scores on formative assessments during the 2019–20 school year.
Europe’s power sector could be the first on the continent to decarbonize
December 9, 2020
Technologies for wind- and solar-power generation are already available at scale today in Europe, so the EU power sector could reach net-zero emissions in the next 25 years.
Around the world, there’s a big disconnect around employee skill building
December 8, 2020
When we surveyed 1,200 businesspeople around the globe, 45 percent told us they don’t have a clear plan for developing capabilities they had designated as high priority.
I’ll take the healthy food, with a side of values and purpose
December 7, 2020
Grocery shoppers’ preference for healthy food has been on the rise through the pandemic.
It’s a start: Fortune 1000 companies commit $66 billion to racial-equity initiatives
December 4, 2020
The companies made their pledges public between George Floyd’s killing in May and the end of October.
Here’s why the poorest countries in Asia are most at risk from climate change
December 3, 2020
Climate change will affect all countries in Asia, but those with lower levels of per capita GDP will suffer most because their economies rely more on outdoor work and natural capital.
Working from home? You’re still in the minority.
December 2, 2020
Most workers globally can’t work a full day from home without suffering productivity losses, according to a McKinsey Global Institute analysis of more than 2,000 job tasks across more than 800 occupations.
What share of the US population needs to get vaccinated against COVID-19?
December 1, 2020
Flip through the charts below to see how the intersection of vaccine effectiveness and the population’s natural immunity can help estimate how many people need to be vaccinated to move us back toward normalcy.
Employees give virtual learning an A for effectiveness
November 25, 2020
Virtual workshops … work. Almost 90 percent of participants said the experience was equally or more effective than an in-person event.
Can product design save the world?
November 24, 2020
Like cost cleansheets, resource cleansheets can help identify savings opportunities—in this case, CO2 reductions.
Too many oil tankers, too little demand
November 23, 2020
COVID-19 and geopolitics have sharply affected demand for transport of crude oil and many bulk products.
Digital fast-forward: Homebound consumers forced companies to jump years ahead
November 20, 2020
In response to the crisis, companies have accelerated the digitization of their customer interactions, accomplishing three or four years of progress in seven months.
Meet your new leaders: Supportive, creative, and employee-focused
November 19, 2020
Agile leadership has become more important during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it’s likely to stay that way.
Management matters for industrial companies that buck industry trends
November 18, 2020
The industrials sector is comprised of “microverticals”—ranging from makers of giant industrial machinery to manufacturers of tiny electronic components.
Can you hear me now? Onshore oil industry needs to get better connected
November 17, 2020
Advanced-connectivity technologies could help oil producers optimize drilling and production throughput, improve maintenance and field operations, and reduce costs.
Holiday shoppers still love Black Friday, but they are swiping right on other suitors
November 16, 2020
Global consumers are looking for deals beyond Black Friday, including those on Amazon Prime Day and Cyber Monday.
With proper reforms, India’s manufacturers could add $320 billion to GDP over just seven years
November 12, 2020
With the proper reforms, the ten industries shown below—plus renewable energy—could compete well in international markets, spur domestic consumption, and provide long-term employment for millions.
COVID-19 has made South Africans much more comfortable with online banking
November 11, 2020
Forty-five percent of South Africans said they’d visit physical bank branches less often, while 42 percent said they’d increase online and mobile interactions with their banks.
Many airlines should have already been rethinking their ‘hub’ models before the pandemic
November 10, 2020
Except for some international routes that had a stable or growing number of connecting flights, the global trend was toward nonstop, direct flights.
The vast majority of European small businesses view the economy as weak
November 9, 2020
Overall, 80 percent of small and medium-size businesses surveyed in Europe view the economy as somewhat to extremely weak.
Before the pandemic, many US universities were in a student amenities spending arms race
November 6, 2020
To woo students, universities spent heavily on student amenities, including expansive offerings in entertainment, gourmet dining, and wellness.
A positive pivot? Global executives seem the most bullish about their businesses since the early pandemic days of March
November 5, 2020
As of mid-October, the share of executives who expected their companies’ profits to increase was double what it was six months before, according to surveys we’ve conducted monthly since March.
Europeans—especially Germans—are visiting more businesses online, more often than ever
November 4, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed more European consumers and industries online.
Global petrochemical industry could take three years to return to 2019 profits
November 3, 2020
The industry’s profits dropped by 44 percent going into 2019 because of overcapacity and declining demand.
Coronavirus vaccines are coming, but how effective will they be, and how widely adopted?
November 2, 2020
The answers affect progress toward herd immunity—and the end of the pandemic. Click through the four plausible scenarios below to see how much natural immunity would be needed (achieved through exposure and other means) to supplement vaccines of different effectiveness and adoption levels.
European football clubs create higher value when they invest more in their current players than in new ones
October 30, 2020
Looking at the 69 most valuable European football clubs over the past five years, we’ve found that they can increase their financial value by developing their current players or investing in new ones.
Facing onerous debts, US college grads appear to be increasingly questioning the value of their education
October 29, 2020
For students who receive financial aid, the net cost of college hadn’t risen too much in the decade leading up to 2017.
A pandemic digital silver lining: Companies digitized many activities 20 to 25 times faster during COVID-19
October 28, 2020
We asked executives how long they expected it would have taken their companies prepandemic to digitize 12 different activities and how long it actually took them once the coronavirus hit.
Every minority group in the United Kingdom was increasing labor-force participation prepandemic
October 27, 2020
Bangladeshis and Pakistanis had the highest gains through 2018, but still had the lowest participation rates.
Digital-health companies in Europe need better proof that their products work
October 26, 2020
European public payers want to see solid proof of efficacy before they’ll agree to reimburse for digital health solutions (such as apps that help patients manage chronic conditions through remote counseling).
Nigerians are increasingly turning to fintech
October 23, 2020
While customers cite access and convenience as the key drivers for fintech usage, value and price are also important.
The last recession saw an innovation slowdown in consumer goods
October 22, 2020
The only year in the past 15 that saw an aggregate decline in new product launches by consumer-goods companies was 2008.
US disease burden expected to get heavier over the next 20 years
October 21, 2020
The likelihood of age- and lifestyle-related diseases—including cardiovascular diseases, cancers, and neurological disorders—is expected to increase by about 20 percent through 2040.
Vietnam’s education system significantly exceeds expectations
October 20, 2020
Vietnam is one of Asia’s high-performing countries when it comes to education.
The electric-vehicle outlook is stronger in China and Europe than in the United States
October 19, 2020
By 2030, regulations and incentives in China and Europe will likely propel electric-vehicle market share to at least a third of all light-vehicle sales.
Coming out at work isn’t something you do once—and it’s harder for some than others
October 16, 2020
More than one in four LGBTQ+ employees are not broadly out at work—and those who are report having to come out again and again. Women and employees in junior roles have a harder time doing this.
Black women are less likely to feel their managers support them at work
October 15, 2020
As a result, Black women are also less likely than men or women of other races to report that they have equal opportunity for advancement.
Good bosses make good workplaces
October 14, 2020
People are more likely to be satisfied at work if they think managers get along well with employees. If they think relationships are bad, job satisfaction is substantially lower.
COVID-19 is causing a backlog of elective surgeries
October 13, 2020
Our July survey of 25 large US hospital systems—representing a quarter of the country’s hospital beds—showed large decreases in surgeries this year as compared with 2019. The trend is expected to continue at least through the end of 2020.
Creating an online experience on par with today’s tech giants isn’t easy
October 12, 2020
When we looked at 100 traditional companies that have experimented with digital ecosystems, we found that only 10 percent are making money from their efforts.
Investors need to understand the uneven effects of COVID-19 across industries
October 9, 2020
We assessed how ten disruptive aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic are affecting 20 industries to help investors identify which developments will have a material impact on business models, revenues, future investments, and more.
Global Lighthouse Network members have led the way in managing through turmoil
October 8, 2020
Throughout the pandemic, members of the World Economic Forum’s Global Lighthouse Network (manufacturers that use advanced digital technologies to transform either how they operate select factories or their entire value chains) have seen significant improvements in productivity, sustainability, agility, speed to market, and customization.
Companies that take steps to improve resiliency now could see benefits for years
October 7, 2020
Companies that intervened early during the last financial crisis continued to outperform their peers—and widen their lead—for at least a decade.
Finland sees promising results after nationwide experiment with universal basic income
October 6, 2020
The results of a two-year Finnish study of 2,000 unemployed people who were given a basic income showed a huge increase in life satisfaction versus the control group of all other unemployed people.
As winter approaches, demand for COVID-19 testing could triple
October 5, 2020
Flu-like symptoms—which are similar to COVID-19 symptoms—are, on average, three times higher in the winter than in the spring.
Women are feeling more pressure at work due to the COVID-19 crisis than men are
October 2, 2020
Despite companies’ efforts to support employees during the crisis, women are feeling more exhausted, burned out, and under pressure than men, according to the latest Women in the Workplace study from LeanIn.Org and McKinsey.
Women remained significantly outnumbered in management roles at the beginning of 2020
October 1, 2020
On the first step up the corporate ladder—from an entry-level role to manager—women continued to lose ground for the sixth year in a row, according to the latest Women in the Workplace study from LeanIn.Org and McKinsey.
US most likely to reach COVID-19 herd immunity in second half of 2021
September 30, 2020
While the US is most likely to reach COVID-19 herd immunity in the third or fourth quarter of 2021, it could come as early as the second quarter of 2021, if vaccines are highly effective and launched smoothly, or if significant cross-immunity is discovered in a population.
About 85 million Americans avoid a top-nine food allergen when grocery shopping
September 29, 2020
And that number includes only those whose households are affected by some type of intolerance.
Shifting demographics are most to blame for blood-supply shortages in the US
September 28, 2020
In the Pacific Northwest, for example, donors aged 45 and older account for 63 percent of the total blood volume collected from repeat donors.
Companies need to weatherize their supply chains
September 25, 2020
The semiconductor industry—whose supply chains are highly concentrated in regions with an increasing probability of disruptive climate hazards—provides a good example of why all companies should rethink their supply chains.
True zero-emissions cars are possible only if carmakers and customers decide they’re worth the added cost
September 24, 2020
As tailpipe emissions decline, the auto industry needs to understand how much it will cost to decarbonize production of the materials that go into electric cars (such as aluminum, plastics, and batteries).
Carbon capture, use, and storage could create significant ‘negative emissions’ by 2030
September 23, 2020
Capturing the CO2 produced by hard-to-abate sectors—such as cement and steel production—helps prevent it from being released into the atmosphere.
By 2050, extreme heat could ground 23 times more airline passengers than today
September 22, 2020
Extreme heat already disrupts global air travel, grounding about 4,000 to 8,000 passengers per year today.
Carbon dioxide emissions would need to reach net zero by 2050 to avoid the worst effects of climate change
September 21, 2020
To avoid the most dangerous and irreversible effects of climate change, the world would need to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Market for automotive software and electronics expected to double by 2030
September 18, 2020
Software and electronics are increasingly more important to consumers and are becoming a larger share of car manufacturers’ costs.
COVID-19 forced companies to act fast, and executives are planning big changes to keep up momentum
September 17, 2020
In most industries, more than half of leaders are considering or planning large-scale changes in their organizations, including how meetings are run, talent management, use of technology, and innovation.
School systems should view the COVID-19 crisis as an opportunity to reimagine learning
September 16, 2020
Educators had to innovate beyond the classroom during lockdowns, and the pandemic has magnified inequities in the educational system.
Countries that focused on keeping virus spread near zero got their economies moving faster than others
September 15, 2020
Countries that took measures aimed at near-zero coronavirus-infection rates did a much better job at increasing “discretionary mobility” (getting people back out shopping, commuting, and working) than did those that balanced higher infection rates with fewer restrictions on economic activity.
To go from science fiction to reality, urban flying vehicles need to operate way more cheaply than helicopter shuttles do
September 14, 2020
For congested cities, urban-air-mobility vehicles could be a promising alternative to ground transportation. But to be successful, these vehicles need to cost 80 percent less to operate than helicopters currently do.
Asian companies underrepresented among top creators of economic profit
September 11, 2020
When we analyzed the relative performance of all Global 5000 companies in generating economic profit, we found that financial companies in Asia outperform those in the rest of the world.
Socioeconomic vulnerability increases the risk of dying from COVID-19
September 10, 2020
People who have severe housing problems—or who are unemployed, incarcerated, or impoverished—are more vulnerable to contracting the novel coronavirus than the general population.
Shoring up existing secondary business units is a winning M&A strategy
September 9, 2020
Our analysis of more than 1,000 of the world’s prominent public companies between 2007 and 2017 showed that those that focused their M&A on secondary industry segments where they were already playing returned more to shareholders than those who focused M&A closer or further away from their core business.
Consumers who switched brands during the pandemic most often cited price and value
September 8, 2020
Shoppers also rewarded brands or retailers that supported their employees and those that repurposed their facilities to help slow the spread of the virus.
Mobile-phone supply chains have become much more regionally concentrated
September 4, 2020
In some sectors, suppliers may be concentrated in a single geography because of that country’s specialization and economies of scale.
Most Americans aren’t comfortable eating inside a restaurant yet
September 3, 2020
More than 80 percent of US consumers have anxiety about dining in at casual and quick-service restaurants. But nearly 50 percent feel fine about picking up fast food from a drive-through.
Public opinion is harsher on second-term governors
September 2, 2020
From the beginning to the end of governors’ second terms, their net public-approval ratings dropped an average of 13.4 percentage points.
How jobs are changing as automation and digitization take hold
September 1, 2020
When undergoing a digital transformation, an organization should think about how it can redeploy its people’s existing skills into new roles, then figure out where it makes sense to hire externally.
Good data are hard to find at most private-equity-owned companies
August 31, 2020
Nearly 50 percent of CFOs at portfolio companies owned by private-equity firms said data fragmentation was their top challenge.
Small grocers continue to play a vital role in Asian emerging economies
August 28, 2020
Independent grocery stores are convenient for millions of Asian consumers, but the fragmented markets they create are inefficient for consumer-packaged-goods companies. Manufacturers need to find innovative solutions to reach these stores.
Advanced industries hurting more than others on several fronts
August 27, 2020
Most striking has been the significant negative effect on business outcomes for companies in advanced industries—a group that includes automotive, aerospace, advanced electronics, and machinery players.
Pandemic delays development of innovative cell and gene therapies
August 26, 2020
Work on innovative treatments for severe diseases (such as cancer) has slowed to prevent clinical-trial participants from being exposed to COVID-19.
It pays to be a technology leader in the semiconductor industry
August 25, 2020
Of the 254 semiconductor companies for which there were data available, five made more combined average annual profit than the remaining 249 did.
Up to $4.6 trillion in industrial trade flows could be rebalanced across geographies
August 24, 2020
The shifts might be driven by a variety of economic factors (capital intensity, an educated workforce, product complexity, and trade-weighted distance) and noneconomic factors (state interventions intended to further national security, national competitiveness, and self-sufficiency).
Australian attitudes represent middle ground on lingering economic effects of pandemic
August 21, 2020
Our July COVID-19 Consumer Pulse surveys showed Australian consumers to be the most evenly distributed of any country in their attitudes about the economy.
More stringent lockdowns aren’t necessarily worse for GDP
August 19, 2020
Our analysis shows that the actual or expected drop in GDP through June of this year, across OECD countries, is not as tightly correlated with the stringency of societal lockdowns, or their length, as one might have assumed.
Asian–Pacific Gen Zers like being connected—but there's a disconnect
August 18, 2020
Except in China, Gen Zers in Asia–Pacific spend more time on their phones than millennials and Gen Xers, according to our survey of more than 16,000 consumers in the region.
After a severe disruption, micromobility is set for a strong comeback
August 17, 2020
The shared and private micromobility industry (bicycles, e-scooters, and mopeds) suffered pretty badly during lockdowns, with ridership declining 60 to 70 percent.
Lean management or agile teams? It depends on what you’re doing
August 14, 2020
And it’s not really an either/or question. Each includes a range of approaches or processes, and which to use depends on what type of activity you’re performing.
The new question for US freight carriers: What’s your commodity profile?
August 13, 2020
The postpandemic recovery for each mode of transport—and for individual carriers—will depend on how quickly demand returns for the commodities it carries.
Flexible remote-work schedules make a big difference for working mothers
August 12, 2020
COVID-19 caused immediate widespread disruption for all workers, but to varying degrees.
Buy less, repair more: The new look for fashionistas after COVID-19
August 11, 2020
A majority of UK and German shoppers say that after the pandemic they will buy more durable apparel, keep what they already own for longer, and repair items to prolong their use.
Women control only a third of household financial assets in the United States—for now
August 10, 2020
Americans hold about $35 trillion in household wealth. Roughly 70 percent of affluent-household investable assets are controlled by baby boomers.
Invest $1 in known health improvements, get up to $4 back in GDP
August 7, 2020
Applying the approach used in economics to measure welfare, we estimate that the total value of fewer deaths and reduced ill health could reach up to $100 trillion, without income-level adjustments. That’s eight times the estimated GDP benefits.
Companies looking to reskill expose the jobs the pandemic changed most
August 6, 2020
A recent survey of executives across industries identified IT as a very or moderately important area for specific reskilling (84 percent), followed by sales, supply chain, procurement, and marketing.
Don’t ride so close to me
August 5, 2020
Only 5 to 8 percent of respondents to our May consumer survey said they felt safe—from a health standpoint—using carsharing, ridesharing, public transport, or shared micromobility services.
Between seven and nine COVID-19 vaccines could be approved in the next two years
August 4, 2020
The world could get seven to nine vaccines over the next two years given historical vaccine success rates and the current pipeline of candidates.
Since June, North America and developing markets more pessimistic on economy
August 3, 2020
In contrast to rising optimism among respondents to our latest McKinsey Global Survey in other regions, respondents in North America and developing markets aren’t feeling hopeful that their home economies will improve in six months.
Europeans turned to a more eco-friendly way of life early in pandemic
July 31, 2020
The majority of UK and German consumers surveyed in April 2020—57 percent—said they had significantly changed their lifestyles to benefit the environment. And more than 60 percent reported making it a point to recycle and seek out products with environmentally friendly packaging.
Governments face a $30 trillion fiscal gap by 2023
July 30, 2020
Governments most likely will finance 80 to 90 percent of the estimated $30 trillion fiscal gap through conventional debt, but a thoughtful approach to balance-sheet funding, revenue-stream optimization, and the containment of spending could give them medium- to long-term support in funding the additional debt burden accumulated during the COVID-19 crisis.
COVID-19 recovery in hardest-hit sectors could take more than 5 years
July 29, 2020
If the economic recovery from COVID-19 is muted (one of two scenarios executives view as most likely), some industries will take years to get back to their prepandemic normal.
Global disease burden expected to increase over next 20 years as populations age
July 28, 2020
Without broader application of known interventions, diseases associated with age and income—such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers—will rise through 2040, while infectious diseases may decline.
Preparing for future pandemics now can help minimize the economic damage
July 27, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic is expected to inflict $9 trillion to $33 trillion in economic damage.
COVID-19’s hit to women’s jobs could cost the world $1 trillion by 2030
July 24, 2020
In a scenario where nothing’s done to address gender parity in the workplace during the current crisis, the cost is high.
Addressing obesity and high blood pressure could protect millions against future pandemics
July 23, 2020
Chronic health conditions that are common in the world’s major economies—such as obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure—are known to put people at higher risk for complications from COVID-19.
The COVID-19 pandemic is widening the gap between leading and lagging industries
July 22, 2020
The six best-performing industries, including semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, and software, have added $275 billion in average economic profit in 2020, while the least profitable six—including insurance, utilities, and energy—have lost $373 billion.
Life expectancy more than doubled over the past century
July 21, 2020
Thanks to better hygiene and nutrition, antibiotics, vaccines, and new technologies, people today are living longer and have overall better health than they did in the past.
People use face masks most in stores and food-service establishments
July 20, 2020
According to our late May/early June survey, mask use is highest in enclosed spaces where people can expect to encounter those from other households, and lower in outdoor settings or gatherings of friends.
The US food-service industry may take four years to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic
July 17, 2020
Of the two crisis-recovery scenarios that global executives view as most likely, a 2021 economic return is most optimistic.
Summer in the Northern Hemisphere keeps getting hotter
July 16, 2020
The average day in many locations is now hotter, and extremely hot days are becoming more likely.
Florida home market may lose $30 billion to floods over next ten years
July 15, 2020
As tidal floods increase and become more severe, affected homes—already devalued by $5 billion collectively—could lose up to $30 billion by 2030 and up to $80 billion by 2050.
Survey says masks will be on people’s faces at least through early 2021
July 14, 2020
As of late May/early June, 88 percent of respondents in the United States thought the coronavirus infection rate would be the same or lower in the first quarter of 2021—whether there’s a vaccine or not.
Ethiopian coffee yields threatened by climate change
July 13, 2020
By 2030, coffee farmers in Ethiopia and corn producers in Mozambique will have a full percentage point higher chance than they do today of experiencing a 25 percent or greater drop in annual yield.
HVAC improvements and other upgrades might help prevent indoor airborne transmission of coronavirus
July 10, 2020
Potential solutions to control inter-room airflow include installing doors or air curtains, sealing gaps in ceilings, and creating overpressure above drop ceilings.
Coastal cities face more widespread, deeper floods as climate warms
July 9, 2020
As just one example, flooding is already part of life in Ho Chi Minh City.
United Kingdom saw big drop in car buying during COVID-19 crisis
July 8, 2020
By May 2020, the number of people in the United Kingdom who were likely or very likely to buy a new or used car declined by 39 percent.
Mediterranean’s top crop faces climate-change risks
July 7, 2020
A warming climate could drive the production of grapes, which account for 14 percent of the Mediterranean’s agricultural production value, further north by 2050.
Investments in innovation have slowed during the pandemic
July 6, 2020
Executives have prioritized efficiency and keeping their core business secure and stable over innovation. They expect to reprioritize innovation when the crisis passes, but will it be too late?
Nearly nine in ten executives say home economies are worse now than six months ago
July 2, 2020
The only exception is Greater China, where 45 percent of respondents say the economy is worse now, and 47 percent say conditions have improved in recent months.
German food retailers better poised for recovery than country’s other sectors
July 1, 2020
While other industries faced structural challenges before and during the crisis, food retailers in Europe’s largest economy were able to build new online ordering and delivery capabilities.
LGBTQ+ women happier when they can bring their full selves to work
June 30, 2020
Welcoming and positive workplaces make it easier for LGBTQ+ women to be out.
Not inclusive? You’re losing 39 percent of job applicants
June 29, 2020
LGBTQ+ and racial- or ethnic-minority candidates are more likely than others to report choosing not to pursue a job because they perceive an organization as noninclusive.
LGBTQ+ women experience the most microaggressions and sexual harassment in the workplace
June 26, 2020
Bisexual women report the highest rates of both, and are most likely to hear sexist comments about their gender and have sexually explicit comments directed at them.
Some changes to grocery-shopping habits likely to stick after the crisis
June 25, 2020
US consumers are grocery shopping less often and in fewer stores.
COVID-19’s hit to Europeans’ happiness costlier than continent’s GDP losses
June 24, 2020
Our modeling of the drivers of well-being, along with the large and growing literature on “happiness economics,” helped us determine that the 0.38-point drop in Europeans’ life satisfaction (on a ten-point scale) during April translated into the equivalent of up to 3.5 times the continent’s reduction in income per capita.
The earliest that US hotels return to pre-COVID-19 revenues might be 2022
June 23, 2020
And that’s in the more optimistic of the two crisis-recovery scenarios that global executives view as most likely (A3), after revenue per available hotel room falls by 53 percent in 2020.
Central bank liquidity injections have dropped to 15 percent of total stimulus
June 22, 2020
In early March 2020, monetary-policy measures were the bulk of the first-line response to the COVID-19 crisis.
Most diverse companies now more likely than ever to outperform financially
June 19, 2020
The latest report from our years-long research into ethnic and gender diversity shows an increasing correlation between being in the top quartile for diversity and financial outperformance.
Black workers face higher levels of workplace attrition at every level
June 18, 2020
On the path from entry-level worker to executive, Black workers experience lower rates of professional advancement—and compensation—at each successive level of responsibility.
Minority-owned small businesses supported communities more during lockdowns
June 17, 2020
They were 48 percent more likely to offer new services to support their communities and employees, and they were also more optimistic about economic recovery in general.
As COVID-19 lockdowns end, European cities need to rethink commuting patterns
June 16, 2020
Under normal circumstances, up to five times more people ride buses and trains during the morning rush hour than at midday.
30-40 percent of minority and low-income students weren’t learning during lockdowns
June 15, 2020
In comparison, the share of white students not receiving remote instruction was only 10 percent.
Trucks, trains, or ships: Which will be the first to return to growth?
June 12, 2020
The US freight carriers that will return quickest after the COVID-19 crisis will be the ones best placed to transport the fastest-recovering commodities.
Total stimulus for the COVID-19 crisis already triple that for the entire 2008–09 recession
June 11, 2020
Governments allocated $10 trillion for economic stimulus in just two months—and for some countries, their response as a percentage of GDP was nearly ten times what it was in the financial crisis of 2008–09.
Can a low-carbon recovery agenda create jobs and help the economy?
June 10, 2020
In short, yes. One study showed that government spending on renewables creates 50 more jobs per $10 million invested than spending on fossil fuels.
Australians say they’ll continue the digital habits they’ve picked up during the crisis
June 9, 2020
The country’s consumers—who have lagged their US, European, and Indo-Pacific peers—intend to continue using digital technologies for services like fitness, groceries, and telemedicine.
Strategically important German Mittelstand hit hard by country’s COVID-19 lockdown
June 8, 2020
More than half of Mittelstand enterprises—companies that account for almost 60 percent of the country’s jobs and more than a third of its revenues—expect their revenues to decline in the second quarter (Q2) of 2020.
US banks’ credit losses from COVID-19 could exceed those from the global financial crisis
June 5, 2020
Most of the losses will come from commercial and industrial loans to the sectors most affected by lockdowns.
Executives in China most positive about their country’s economy over next six months
June 4, 2020
Our latest survey of executives shows that a majority in most regions—except China—are still more negative than positive in their expectations for their home economies, but their sentiment is improving.
The COVID-19 crisis will disproportionately affect minority-owned small businesses
June 3, 2020
Already vulnerable, these businesses employ more than 8.7 million people and are concentrated in the industries most immediately affected by the pandemic.
Restaurants with contactless service could be better prepared to get sales back to precrisis levels
June 2, 2020
By using a risk-scoring system that considers the intensity, frequency, and duration of interactions along the customer journey, restaurants can find ways to improve productivity and address health concerns.
European banks could lose four years of economic progress to the crisis
June 1, 2020
More than a third of European executives expect a muted recovery that would lead to sharp drops in banks’ revenue, a squeeze on their capital, and a hit on return on equity.
Big difference between economic scenarios executives view as most likely
May 29, 2020
Executives we surveyed view two economic scenarios as most likely—one where the virus is contained (A3) and the other where it recurs (A1).
Pandemic threatens the United Kingdom’s lowest-income earners the most
May 28, 2020
About 24 percent of jobs in the United Kingdom are at risk, with the most vulnerable in the country’s 20 lowest-income subregions.
Travel is tentatively returning to China
May 27, 2020
With the COVID-19 lockdown over but international borders still closed, China’s hotel occupancy and domestic-flight capacity are slowly rising.
COVID-19 crisis could almost triple US credit-card losses
May 26, 2020
Depending on how quickly the virus is contained and how long the recession lasts, retail-credit lenders need to think about how to take care of their customers.
Digital communication with customers is key to fashion companies’ survival
May 22, 2020
With their customers increasingly online, fashion companies need to engage them with authentic messages over email, social media, and other digital channels—even while most people aren’t currently spending.
Jobs at smallest US businesses most vulnerable to crisis
May 21, 2020
Our consumer-sentiment surveys in mid-April suggested that European shoppers expected to spend less on everything except groceries and online entertainment while largely confined to their homes.
What Europe’s lockdown shopping looks like
May 20, 2020
Our consumer-sentiment surveys in mid-April suggested that European shoppers expected to spend less on everything except groceries and online entertainment while largely confined to their homes.
Technology helped shape Asia’s early response to COVID-19
May 19, 2020
Six digital and mobile technologies that helped guide governments and businesses in Asia could help other countries around the world.
Hardest-hit European export industries bounced back fastest from last recession
May 18, 2020
Past isn’t necessarily prologue, but as just one example, almost all export subsectors in the United Kingdom grew more in 2010 than they lost in 2009.
When can your region reopen? It depends on the strength of its health system
May 15, 2020
Restarting an economy can’t follow a one-size-fits-all approach—a region’s public-health system must be able to detect and respond to the local COVID-19 transmission levels.
COVID-19 may be claiming more lives than we think
May 14, 2020
More people are dying this year than in 2019, but it’s unclear whether that’s related to undiagnosed COVID-19 cases or to other causes.
Africa’s early fiscal stimulus appeared to fall short
May 13, 2020
As of mid-April, African stimulus measures—amounting to between 1 and 1.5 percent of GDP—seemed insufficient given the potential three- to eight-percentage-point reduction in GDP growth the continent could see from the pandemic.
If schools stay closed, how will people go back to work?
May 12, 2020
Workers with children under 15 years old who have no alternative caregiver—about 16 percent of the US workforce, and 20 to 30 percent of the European workforce (where there are more dual-income households —will likely need childcare before being able to return fully to work.
Of 59 million European jobs at risk, half fall into three categories
May 11, 2020
The pandemic has put tens of millions of European workers’ jobs at risk, particularly those in customer service and sales, food services, and building trades.
Black Americans face disproportionate share of disruption from coronavirus
May 8, 2020
McKinsey analysis shows that black Americans are almost twice as likely to live in the counties at highest risk of health and economic disruption, if or when the pandemic hits those counties.
Coronavirus is accelerating digital-strategy formulation
May 7, 2020
Businesses that once mapped digital strategy in one- to three-year phases must now scale their initiatives in a matter of days or weeks.
How physical distancing has played out for European businesses
May 6, 2020
As coronavirus-related lockdowns went into effect, companies across Europe had to quickly assess how to keep their employees and customers safe through physical distancing.
Widespread COVID-19 testing is correlated with fewer cases
May 5, 2020
Countries need to think about building surge capacity in traditional public-health approaches to control the virus’s spread—disease surveillance, contact tracing, and targeted quarantines.
Coronavirus shut down schools worldwide
May 4, 2020
As of mid-April, 191 countries had shut down all their primary and secondary schools, affecting almost 1.6 billion children. But the shift to remote learning has been uneven.