Embracing the new takes its toll

Abstract

PurposeThe aim is to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting‐edge research and case studies.Design/methodology/approachThe briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.FindingsWith hundreds of millions of vehicle journeys along the super highway in Taiwan, collecting tolls manually seemed an outdated process, delaying drivers who had to stop and queue at payment booths and requiring the hiring of a considerable number of employees to collect the money. So it seemed common sense for the government to contract a private company to develop and operate an electronic toll collection system which would detect by infra‐red rays a device within the vehicle, automatically deducting the charge from a pre‐paid card that drivers could buy at service stations. Drivers would incur the initial cost of buying and installing the onboard unit and buying their value‐storage card but had the benefit of never again having to stop and wait at tollgates or having to have small change handy.Practical implicationsThe article provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world's leading organizations.Social implicationsThe article provides strategic insights and practical thinking that can have a broader social impact.Originality/valueThe briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy‐to‐digest format.