Category: Uncategorized

I’ve been living in two worlds lately. The first is research. Clean, structured, logical. It tells me exactly what organizations should be doing in integration. The second is operators. People who’ve done 30, 50, 150+ deals. Here’s the interesting part: They agree. Start integration early they say, align leadership, build the playbooks and don’t forget to capture lessons learned. Make sure to treat integration like a capability. So naturally, you’d expect consistent success, but no. Most integrations still underdeliver. Not dramatically, just quietly. Missed synergies, slow execution, talent walking out the door. So, what’s going on? We start too late… […]

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Everyone loves to quote the stat. Depending on the source, somewhere between 50% and 90% of acquisitions fail. It’s a wide range, which usually means we’re measuring different things, but the direction is consistent enough to be uncomfortable. Roughly half of acquisitions destroy value for the acquirer, and only about 30% to 50% fully deliver the synergies that justified the deal in the first place. None of this is new. We’ve known it for decades. What I find more interesting is not the statistic itself, but the fact that it hasn’t changed despite how much smarter we’ve become at everything […]

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There’s a quiet structural flaw in how most M&A deals are done. It doesn’t show up in the model; it doesn’t sit in the risk register; and yet it’s one of the most reliable ways to lose value. The people who shape the deal are not the ones responsible for delivering it. By the time the operators arrive, the assumptions are already locked in, the commitments are already made, and the clock has already started. Take Cadbury. The narrative most people remember is emotional: a beloved brand, a hostile bidder, a defence mounted with conviction. The reality is far more […]

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Are you ready to let go of decision making and allow AI to make decision for you whether it’s placing a PO or scheduling service for equipment. That’s what’s coming if you listen to the hype. There are a lot of control freaks that would never let go – and I understand that. But what if you’re open to change and just looking for efficiency and cost savings? Let’s consider purchasing and ask whether AI can improve it. As you may know, MRP (Material Requirements Planning) has been the workhorse for suggesting what to buy for 50 years. It suggests […]

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Design is the backbone of every apparel company, but the sheer volume and pace of modern fashion make the design process more complex than ever. Working on multiple seasonal drops, replenishment programs and retail-driven assortments means that apparel companies can manage hundreds or thousands of new designs each year.  Before a single style reaches production, it passes through design, merchandising, planning, product development, sourcing, and finance. Each team contributes sketches, BOMs, measurements, costing, vendor quotes and sample reviews. The amount of coordination and cross-functional collaboration can be monumental, which is why many have found implementing a Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) […]

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Andrew Coyne wrote an article in the Globe & Mail on February 12 entitled “The AI job apocalypse is coming. Or is it?” He acknowledges there will be layoffs but there will also be productivity gains, which has historically been a driving force in a growing economy. “AI’s technological advances may not cost workers their jobs, but enhance them, allowing each to produce more with the same effort.” I think they will also be able to focus on more value-added services, which could lead to new business and a growing company. It’s too early to know what will happen for […]

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180 Systems is having our best year with revenue growth of about 40% over last year. It’s ironic that we are growing so quickly now, when as some of you know, I have been doing this kind of work for a very long time. In fact, most of my colleagues, friends and even my spouse retired years ago. The reasons for growth have a lot to do with my partner, Alex Miles, who is young, smart and ambitious. We have also hired a great team – there are 8 of us now and hopefully you will have the opportunity to […]

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Field service looks simple from a distance. A customer calls, a technician arrives, the problem gets fixed, and everyone moves on with their day. In reality, it resembles a Rembrandt painting. What appears calm from across the room reveals far more depth and tension when you step closer. The surface may look tidy, but the truth lives in the low light. The most common field service problems rarely burst in like a spotlight. They behave more like the shadows Caravaggio and Da Vinci loved to paint, subtle and creeping in from the edges. They hide in small inefficiencies and only […]

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Some consultants will identify the top 10 ERP systems or just consider them in software selection projects. These systems have the largest customer base and typically have: Modern user interfaces Invested large sums in R&D to take advantage of new technology like AI. Invested large sums in security. But should you also consider lesser-known systems that cater to a specific industry? Advantages of Lesser-Known ERP Systems They are usually industry specific and also include business processes optimized for the industry and industry experts to implement the system. Licensing and implementation are usually less expensive. They are often less difficult to […]

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