The trade war between the United States and China began as an attempt by US President Donald Trump to correct what he saw as an unbalanced trading relationship with the second largest economy in the world. However, retaliatory tariffs from China were meted out. Both countries to varying extents, and in different parts of their respective economies, are under pressure due to trade barriers.

Some economic benefits and problems can be attributed to tariffs. For the most part, however, the trade war has exacerbated existing trends. Beyond inflicting some hurt on another economy, the fu...

Very large organizations are usually shaped by the style of leadership imposed by the CEO. Structures and cultures vary according to the person at the very top of a company. Some CEOs thrive when working in one area of the economy but then fail in others, unable to adapt. Others, typically those leading a group of companies, have found success by concentrating on company culture, granting power to those lower in the hierarchy to take meaningful decisions.

Meanwhile, other CEOs run their businesses according to harsh financial reality - Mike Ashley being a well-known example - due t...

In the increasingly competitive world of retail, department stores are struggling. This case study takes a close look at the major trends which have transformed the landscape in which department stores operate, how this has ultimately led to their downfall and whether they will be able to bounce back in the future.

Over the past couple of decades China has become a leading story in the economic development of Africa. Through loans, grants and direct investment, Beijing has established a huge presence in countries which traditionally fall outside of major western interests. Yet for all the touted economic gains, problems have emerged; debt levels in some African states are alarmingly high.

However, some countries have done well out of China, playing a clever game of international diplomacy. China has benefited from a relative lack of attention given to Africa by western powers, but that is beg...

Heralded as the future of personalized transport, autonomous cars have caused much excitement among car companies, industry journalists and some segments of the public and government. Unquestionably major advances have been made but the future in which drivers are redundant remains some distance away.

Despite the expected wait, a lot is changing. China is maneuvering to become the leading global player, catching up to rivals in the US. New infrastructure is being discussed and the regulatory environment is undergoing significant reform. Yet doubts remain as to how soon any promises...

Power generation is experiencing a series of trends which will shape the market for decades to come. Coal is seemingly on a terminal decline, to be replaced by natural gas, and renewable energy is making substantial strides to become more commercially relevant.

Advances ensure new power sources are moving closer to becoming part of the mainstream, with problems such as using renewable energy on demand now being solved. Leading companies in power generation must stay ahead of the development curve in these areas – failure to do so will mean allowing rivals to gain crucial competitiv...

When taking into account that internal combustion engines vehicles sales will be banned in the UK by 2040, the question of what will the multimillion-dollar industry of fuel retail do, springs to mind. This case study examines the how the concept of service stations is changing to take advantage of new opportunities and build a business model that will survive the decrease in fuel retail.

Retail will experience significant change over the coming years. Some brands holding a large number of physical stores have struggled against the rise of pure online enterprises. Success for some has been found through creating highly adaptable business models.

A key area for major retailers is next-day delivery services, and these are likely to reform in response to rising discontent concerning employment regulations. Elsewhere technological advances are predicted to not only change how consumers shop but how the underlying business structure functions too. Retail companies are en...

Some major new trends are sweeping through the beverage industry and they are having a major impact on both manufacturers and consumers. For the soft drinks industry sugar has now become a dirty word and sugar taxes have forced companies to create new formulas and diversify away from carbonates as that segment begins to decline. For the enhanced water segment new opportunities are developing as consumers are moving towards bottled water and away from sugar and this means a great deal of innovation is happening with new enhanced water healthy ingredients. For the hot drinks industry conve...

Some major new trends are sweeping through the beverage industry and they are having a major impact on both manufacturers and consumers. For the soft drinks industry sugar has now become a dirty word and sugar taxes have forced companies to create new formulas and diversify away from carbonates as that segment begins to decline. For the enhanced water segment new opportunities are developing as consumers are moving towards bottled water and away from sugar and this means a great deal of innovation is happening with new enhanced water healthy ingredients. For the hot drinks industry conve...

Some major new trends are sweeping through the beverage industry and they are having a major impact on both manufacturers and consumers. For the soft drinks industry sugar has now become a dirty word and sugar taxes have forced companies to create new formulas and diversify away from carbonates as that segment begins to decline. For the enhanced water segment new opportunities are developing as consumers are moving towards bottled water and away from sugar and this means a great deal of innovation is happening with new enhanced water healthy ingredients. For the hot drinks industry conve...

Some major new trends are sweeping through the beverage industry and they are having a major impact on both manufacturers and consumers. For the soft drinks industry sugar has now become a dirty word and sugar taxes have forced companies to create new formulas and diversify away from carbonates as that segment begins to decline. For the enhanced water segment new opportunities are developing as consumers are moving towards bottled water and away from sugar and this means a great deal of innovation is happening with new enhanced water healthy ingredients. For the hot drinks industry conve...

The construction industry is experiencing change. Prefabrication, new technology, robotics, green buildings and consolidation are trends leading companies must stay ahead of in the near future to be prosperous.

Having been accused of being reticent to change, construction is now ripe for development. Leading companies will increasingly use technology to improve the efficiency of operations, enabling them to create more with the same resources.

Construction firms will also have to adapt to changing government policies which are geared towards sustainability. Trends are changin...

Although Boohoo has been on the online fashion retail scene since 2006, the company has stood out for its exponential growth in recent years, which has seen it become an international fashion empire. This case study explores the key ways the company has fueled such strong growth, from its streamlined supply chain, to its mastery at digital marketing. Although challenges lie ahead in the competitive online retail market, the future remains bright for Boohoo, which currently shows no signs of slowing down.

Key Questions Answered:

- How is Boohoo growing so quickly?

- How ...

Much has been made of young generations such as millennials setting new consumer trends and how companies should respond, but in reality, there are perhaps better opportunities available to target older generations then younger ones. Consumers over the age of 55 at present have been shown to be more tech savvy than ever, more online and increasingly looking for leisure and entertainment opportunities.

Key Questions Answered:

- Why has this generation got so much spending power over the millennial generation?

- How can they be better targeted with products and advertisin...