With vaccines on the horizon, here’s how business leaders can plan ahead

‘Vaccine announcements get the globe closer to eradicating the virus, but questions still remain. Business leaders will need to consider a range of potential scenarios for access and distribution to adjust to the changes still ahead. For business planning only, Salesforce Future Lab developed a selection of hypothetical scenarios in discussions with leading experts to help leaders understand the range of scenarios for which they might need to plan.’

Hypothetical Scenario 1: “Zero Hurdles” -- In this scenario, business leaders could look forward to the crisis ending as quickly and evenly as possible around the world. In-person work and consumer confidence could come back close to pre-crisis levels over the summer and fall of 2021, though masking, distancing, and ventilation would still be necessary for many more months.

Hypothetical Scenario 2: “Sprint and Stumble” -- In this scenario, many business leaders might initially make investments betting on a rapid re-emergence from crisis conditions, only to be surprised as optimism evaporates. As the crisis stretched on, those who recognized the continuing risk would likely be in the best position, but even they would still face stiff economic headwinds.

Hypothetical Scenario 3: “Long March” -- In this scenario, business leaders could be increasingly challenged to maintain the safety of their staff and customers before the vaccine arrives, as the public becomes less willing to adhere to public health guidance. But after its arrival, the impact is similar to “Zero Hurdles” above, with a relatively rapid return to workplace safety and consumer confidence.

Read here (World Economic Forum, Nov 25, 2020) 

Big Pharma chief who developed first Ebola shot breaks silence on Covid-19

‘It's not that we couldn't have done something earlier. The reason that we're announcing these things now is because as we tried to select approaches, we did it with a view that we needed vaccines with three characteristics: No. 1, they have to be vaccines that can be deployed broadly, globally. No. 2, and this is extremely important, these have to be vaccines that we have reasonable confidence could be effective with just a single dose. No. 3, we wanted to develop vaccines that used technology, platforms that have already been proven to work safely and effectively in people.’

Read here (Sydney Morning Herald, May 27, 2020)

8 ways Covid will transform the economy and disrupt every business

‘In this report, we look at eight major trends underway in the world, and pinpoint the possibilities for savvy business operators, investors and innovators. We all know how much our lives have changed, and how we’re not likely to go back to our old ways. We’ll be more cautious but we also may be more creative. As history likes to remind us, with unprecedented times come unprecedented opportunities.’

Read here (RBC Thought Leadership, May 22, 2020)

Inc.'s essential business survival guide for the Covid-19 crisis

‘Inc.'s solutions center offers expert advice on handling panicked customers, interrupted supply chains, webinars, Zoom meetings, hyper kids, and a work environment that changes by the hour.” America-oriented, however, there many generic lessons that businesses anywhere can learn from. More specifically, for example, tips on working from home:

• The right way to keep your remote team accountable
• Some jobs can't be done remotely. Here's what business owners are doing to keep those employees safe
• Working from home? Here are 7 things you should start doing today
• A beginner's guide to working from home without driving yourself and your family crazy
• 23 essential tips for working remotely
• How to avoid loneliness and isolation when you live alone and work from home’

Read here (Inc, April 27, 2020)