Zenefits Was the Perfect Startup. Then It Self-Disrupted

Zenefits Was the Perfect Startup. Then It Self-Disrupted

Bloomberg reveals the story of what happened when an HR firm had some epic HR problems. In this case, it’s the story of Zenefits – a company that makes online software that automates health insurance, payroll, and other essential office drudgery. Zenefits launched in April 2013 through startup incubator Y Combinator and subsequently expanded from fewer than…

Europe’s Banks Face a Frightening Future

Europe’s Banks Face a Frightening Future

A few noteworthy events have led European banking to reach a proverbial point of no return. It’s no wonder that investors are running out of patience with European bank chieftains. Since the unfortunate fall of Lehman Brothers in 2008, eight of Europe’s biggest banks (including Deutsche Bank) have had to layoff around 100,000 employees, pay billions…

Safety-Stock Calculations Are Risky – Demand, Lead Time and Service Level

This is a big and touchy topic, I know. I intend only to begin a dialog, not present an exhaustive treatise. First, let me define what I mean by “safety stock,” or SS: Not the restrictive, MRP-specific adder to gross requirements, but the general concept of buffer inventory. SS, determined correctly and optimally, protects against random variations…

PE deals hit as banks curb lending for leveraged buyouts

PE deals hit as banks curb lending for leveraged buyouts

For KKR & Co LP, the private equity firm behind some of the world’s largest leveraged buyouts, the acquisition of U.S. outdoor retailer Mills Fleet Farm for a little more than $1.2 billion should have been a formality. The New York-based firm was indeed very close to clinching the deal in late November. But then, the junk…

How Berlin’s Futuristic Airport Became a $6 Billion Embarrassment

How Berlin’s Futuristic Airport Became a $6 Billion Embarrassment

Expected to open in June 2011, the Berlin Brandenburg International Willy Brandt Airport was intended to handle 27 million passengers a year and be crowned as Europe’s “most modern”. But as it were, inspectors consisting of a team of logistics, safety, and aviation experts could hardly believe their eyes upon performing a series of checks and…